The New Alpha Pack
by GuardianWolfman
Summary: Set in an AU where the alpha pack is defeated. Stiles develops a magical gift, a new alpha pack rises and the werewolf world is crumbling. Can the pack save the day again? I suck at Summaries. Slow burn for a lot of my favourite relationships.
1. Stiles' Gift

**A/N: So this is another story that popped in my head that I decided I had to write before it drove me crazy.**

* * *

It had been just over week since Scott Allison and his self had sacrificed themselves in place of their parents and given power back to the nemeton. Stiles thought at the time he was making the right choice but he wasn't so sure now. Every night he had these vivid dreams of the old dead stump in the woods and they were scaring him. They weren't even dreams but nightmares, awfully terrifying nightmares. He tried to keep himself awake so he didn't experience them but it didn't work. Every morning he would find himself waking up in bed with no idea how he got there. One night he remembered falling asleep as his computer, he was sure of it.

His dad had allowed him two days off school because he could see he wasn't coping with it too well. But in the end decided maybe he had been wrong to let Stiles have the time alone. Maybe what Stiles really needed was to be around his friends. So Stiles had struggled for the next few of days at school. It was after school when Scott caught up with him, "Hey man we're having a pack meeting at Derek's loft. Are you going to be there?"

"Sure", Stiles muttered as he climbed into his unlocked jeep. "What time we meeting?"

"Derek said to get there for around seven and he'll order pizza in", Scott told his best friend who had seemed distant. "Stiles man, are you okay? You've been very quiet this week."

"I'm fine. Just not been sleeping well", Stiles muttered.

"Yeah tell me about it. Allison says she can't either. It's got to be the darkness around our hearts right? Maybe Deaton can give us some advice", Scott suggested. "I'll ask him and see what he says. See you later."

Stiles pulled away so he could drive home. The drive passed by in a blur and Stiles looked up at his house as he parked the jeep on the drive. Jumping out the jeep he stumbled his way over and unlocked the front door. Dumping his bag in the hallway and kicking off his shoes he made his way to the kitchen, where he opened the fridge and grabbed a coke. Making sure he grabbed the hot Doritos from the snack cupbaord he moved to the living room where he decided to watch a movie for a couple of hours or so before he headed over to Derek's loft.

Relaxing himself on the couch he leant forward to grab the coke and opened it. As he did so he felt another dizzy spell hit him, they had been happening all this week. The moment the ring pull broke the can open he was engulfed in a fountain of sticky cola. "Arrgh. What the hell?" Stiles growled as he slammed the can down and tore of his favourite hoodie and t-shirt which were soaked. I was as if someone had shaken the can up on purpose. Stomping upstairs he threw the wet sticky clothes in his wash bin. Heading into the bathroom he grabbed a wet wash cloth and wiped down his body. In his closet he pulled out another t-shirt and hoodie. Finally dressed again he walked downstairs frustrated because he would need to clear up the mess before he could watch a movie.

Five minutes later after clearing up his mess and grabbing another coke from the fridge. Opening this one over the sink and at arm's length to avoid a repeat performance he plopped himself down on the sofa to watch Disney's **_Wallie_**. Stiles sighed happily at the thought of coke and a Disney movie but he couldn't shake the feeling that the dizzy spells he had been experiencing were getting worse; more intense even. Add the fact that he felt weak after each one, not tired just weaker and he was really beginning to worry. So far he had been able to push the thoughts to one side. Stiles being a fan of the theory that if you ignore a problem it would just go away was doing just that.

* * *

Stiles pulled up outside Derek's loft at fifteen minutes past seven and ran into the building. Anxiously pressing the button repeatedly for Derek's floor Stiles fidgeted while the elevator rose slowly. Damn it he was already fifteen minutes late and he was sure said Sourwolf wouldn't be happy. Why he cared that it irritated the grumpy alpha he couldn't explain to himself without lying. He tried convincing himself it was just because he didn't exactly enjoy being thrown into walls by said alpha but deep down he knew that on some level he had the biggest crush on the man. However he would never admit it even if it was possible the wolves could smell his arousal when he was around Derek. Why did Derek seem to care if Stiles was late but no one else?

Stiles pulled open the lofts sliding metal door without knocking since the majority of people would already know he was there. He barely got through the door way and closed the door behind him before his vision was blocked by a black shirt stretched tight over a muscular chest. Stiles looked up slightly putting on his cheekiest grin. "Hey there Sourwolf. Sorry I'm late", Stiles apologised without offering a reason.

"You're late", the alpha growled at him.

"Wow Derek your deduction skills are really impressive tonight. What gave it away? Was it me apologising for being late? Or was it the fact the big hand of the clock is on the four when it should be on the twelve? Or maybe because everyone else has been here for a little bit?" Stiles rambled. He watched as Derek's expression went from slightly irritated to reasonably annoyed then to pissed off before it finally hit death glare.

"Stiles take a seat before I rip your throat out with my teeth", the alpha grumbled angrily.

Stiles moved to do as he was told but refused to let it go without a comment, "Is is just me or do you seem even grumpier than usual?" Seeing the red leak into Derek's normally green eyes slightly raised Stiles' pulse and he sat down on the floor beside the sofa without further talking. It was only once he sat down he realised they had an extra guest tonight. Alan Deaton, Scott's boss was sitting opposite him.

"Stiles you arrived late so you can listen to what we are discussing then have food", Derek told him.

"What? That's not fair", Stiles cried standing up again now he remembered there was food in the kitchen. He was rather hungry as he hadn't been eating much recently. And not regularly like he should.

"Stiles if you wanted food you should have been here at seven like everyone else, like you were told", Derek growled clenching and unclenching his right hand into a fist.

"How do you know Scott didn't tell me a different time?" Stiles cried back frustrated.

"Because I heard him tell you", Derek snapped before he closed his mouth.

"How did you hear him tell me what time to be here? He told me in the school parking lot after school, so unless you were there", Stiles paused as he realised the truth. "Oh my god. You were there. What the fuck were you doing in the school parking lot again?"

"I was giving my betas a ride", Derek lied knowing any of the wolves would be able to out him. Unfortantely for him it seemd Stiles didn't need their help.

"No you weren't. I saw them walking out the lot as I came out. And even if I hadn't I could tell you were lying even without hearing your heartbeat. Tell the truth", Stiles replied to Derek angrily. This time Stiles saw the alpha's right hand unclench. _Oh god, he's gonna slam me into a wall again. For once why can't I be the one to slam him against a wall and hold him there, _Stiles thought as he braced himself.

Suddenly Stiles felt himself lose his balance and he had to grab the arm of the sofa to keep himself from collapsing. He felt weak again instantly but ignored it as he looked up as he heard the pack scream in surprising. Derek was floating a few feet off the ground over by the wall seemingly struggling to move. "What's happening?" Derek growled as his claws and fangs came out, his eyes already having turned red from his confrontation with Stiles.

Immediately Stiles knew what had happened even if he didn't understand it. He had done that to Derek. He had thought about it and now it was happening. Stiles couldn't help but grin widely as he heard the vet call for quiet. "Calm down", Deaton called in his normal calm tone. "Stiles would you mind letting Derek down?" All eyes turned to Stiles.

"You mean Stiles did that? No. No way", Scott muttered.

"Actually I think I did Scott. However I don't know how I did it so I don't know how to undo it. Besides do I really need to? I think we could have a much more reasonable conversation with Derek unable to move from that spot", Stiles mused elated that for some reason he seemed to have power over the man for a moment. He didn't want to hurt Derek but Stiles had been in that position enough times to know it wouldn't do any lasting damage, especially to a werewolf. Let alone an alpha.

"Why don't you tell us what you were thinking when you did it?" Deaton suggested. "Maybe then we can work out how you did it and how we might undo it?"

"Tell him", Derek growled baring his fangs.

"Don't think you should be giving orders from over there", Stiles called. "Okay so I saw Sourwolf getting ready to slam me into a wall and I thought it would be nice if the roles were reversed for once."

"Try focusing on him for a second and visual him being free", Deaton advised him. Stiles took a deep breath sure he would regret letting Derek down but at the same time he didn't want to be any more of a jerk. Stiles concentrated and imagined it was his hand holding Derek there. Pulling away the imaginary hand he watched in surprise as Derek slid down the wall and landed on his feet.

"Very good Stiles. Derek control yourself around Mr Stilinski please. It would seem his magical gifts react passively in defence of him. Stiles how would you feel about coming to visit me every day after school so I can teach you to wield your magic in a more controlled fashion? After all you wouldn't want to hurt anyone would you?"

Stiles stared at the vet for a moment while he let what had been said sink in. "Sure", he nodded.

"With the excitement out of the way", the vet said after giving Stiles another thoughtful glance. "Maybe we can discuss what we all came here for. Derek may I?" Derek walked warily forward keeping a nervous eye on Stiles. He nodded for the vet to continue.

"The nemeton has been drained of all its power once more", The vet told the group.

"That's great then, right?" Allison asked. "No more beacon for Beacon Hills?"

"No, it's not that simple", Deaton spoke in a slow drawl. "If the power dissipated naturally I would have taken many years. Someone has been taking the power from it. Or something. We need to discover who or what now has that power and what it's intentions are."

Stiles gave a cough and watched as all eyes turned to him again. "How exactly would someone take the nemeton's power?" he asked apprehensively.

"Again that's hard to tell but it would have to be done in the dead of night", the vet answered as he continued to glace curiously at the boy.

"Well I've been having these dreams about the stump for the past week", Stiles began.

"Did you see who was stealing the nemeton's power?" Lydia asked.

"It was you wasn't it?" Derek whispered. Stiles looked up to see the alpha looking at him in a way he never had before. There was a whole range of emotions in the normally stony face. Stiles recognised fear, something he had never seen there before, guilt, pain and something he couldn't quite place. Stiles thought it was longing almost as if Derek was pining for something. Shaking his head to escape the alpha's gaze he nodded hesitantly.

"I think maybe it was. In my dreams or I guess more accurately described nightmares, I visit the tree under a starry sky and lay my hands on the surface of the stump. I feel the power contained in it and then it's almost like the power surges into me. Every nerve ending in my body begins screaming in pain like they've been set alight, immersed in acid and stabbed all at the same time. Horrible images invade my head. Memories of my past, images of violence, death and destruction that I have no knowledge of. Then I wake up in my bed with no idea how I got there", Stiles finished.

"Stiles I can't force you to but if what you just told us is true I would advise you to be very careful. You need to learn to control your emotions. I think Derek was right when he suggested that you drained the nemeton", Deaton said trying to maintain his usual call but they called all hear the slight waiver in his tone. "I would never have believed you could have drained the whole nemeton and stored such power within yourself. You've become incredibly powerful in a very short time. Unless you control it you will hurt yourself and others."

Stiles nodded numbly while asking quietly in a voice that didn't belong to him, "Why me? Why did I drain the nemeton? How did I rip the power from it when I don't even know the first thing about magic?"

The vet stared into Stiles eyes for a moment gauging to see if he was ready for the information yet. He had the knowledge to answer a lot of Stiles questions. "Why you drained the nemeton I can't answer but if I had to guess I would say subconsciously you felt you couldn't risk letting someone else control so much power. As to how I know a little more. It's in your blood; Specifically the blood of your mother that resides within you", Deaton whispered slowly. He paused to see if Stiles wanted to discuss it further with the whole pack in the room.

"What do you mean it's because of my mother's blood? She was just an ordinary human", Stiles raised his voice slightly.

"No she wasn't Stiles", the vet said apologetically. "She was an elf."

"So what are you saying Stiles is an elf?" Scott scoffed.

"Oh you mean like how I'm a banshee?" Lydia levelled a dark look at Scott. "We all thought I was human until recently."

"Part elf", Deaton said before fighting could break out again. "You mother and I assumed there was no elven blood in you though since you never showed any signs", he continued as he kept his gaze on Stiles. Looking him straight in the eye.

"So why now? What changed?" Issac asked. Stiles jumped not realising the beta was here since he hadn't spoke yet.

"The sacrifice", Stiles whispered. "Whatever Scott, Allison and I did, it awoke the elf blood within me."

"That's right. Since then you've had the nightmares, the dizzy spells and the sudden moments of weakness haven't you?" Deaton asked for confirmation.

"Yeah", Stiles confirmed. "And always before a dizzy spell I get a headache."

"The dizzy spells and sudden moments of weakness occur after you work magic. Once your body becomes used to working magic those side effects will disappear and the headaches precede the working of magic. They act as a warning to alert you to the fact your body is under stress from the vast magical power that has built up. It's usual for someone who comes into strong powers at such a rapid velocity", Deaton explained. "Now here is the part you are going to like even less than your studying magic with me daily after school. Derek you won't like this either", the vet warned. "You need to learn how to control your emotions so you will spend time with Derek who can teach you how to do this."

"No", Stiles and Derek shouted at the same time.

"Unless you both do this Stiles will likely be dangerous to be around. Stiles you will likely never learn to control your emotions on your own which in turn means you won't be able to control your magic. You'd be a danger to everyone around you, a living, breathing time bomb", Deaton pressed.

"Fine", Stiles muttered looking at the floor.

"Fine", Derek growled after a moment. "Meeting is over so feel free to leave whenever. Stiles I saved you some pizza in the kitchen. There is some spicy vegetarian since I know it's your favourite", Derek said in a surly voice before he wandered over to sit in his arm chair and picked up his book.

Stiles smiled when he heard Derek had saved him his favourite but as he went to get it from the kitchen he frowned in confusion. How did Derek know what his favourite type of pizza was? And what was up with Derek anyway? One moment he was being all warm and fuzzy towards Stiles, or at least as warm and fuzzy as an emotionally constipated guy can be. And the next he was threatening Stiles and marking his soft skin with bruises.

Stiles returned after being in the kitchen for just a few minutes to discover Deaton and the rest of the pack had already left. "Oh", Stiles muttered in surprise. Did he really want to spend more alone time with Derek than necessary? "Do you want me to just wrap it up and leave?" he asked a silent book reading Derek.

"Stay and eat", Derek grunted from behind his book.

Stiles settled himself down on the sofa and began to chew his first slice of pizza while he thought about the nights developments. "Since Deaton said the nemeton is completely drained do you think I will still have nightmares about it tonight?" he asked Derek. Derek remained still and silent hidden behind the book. "So how comes Deaton wants you to train me how to control my emotions? I mean dude you are totally not the yoda you think you are."

Derek put down his book to glare at Stiles. "Deaton wants me to train you because learning to be a strong werewolf means learning to control your emotions. Its training my mom gave us when I was younger and she was an alpha", Derek answered bitterly.

"Okay I sort of get that. So what did you fail the training or something because you are seriously too easy to make angry?" Stiles asked before thinking.

Stiles watched as Derek grit his teeth together before he answered. "No. Anger is my anchor. It's what keeps me human. By allowing myself to control my anger I control my wolf. Whether that is showing my anger or hiding it."

"Umm", Stiles muttered as he bit into another slice of pizza. "You're telling the truth but there is something else. Something you are not telling me." Stiles continued to watch Derek as he finished up his pizza and drank his coke. "No matter what it is Sourwolf I'll find it out. After all we are going to be spending a lot of quality time together", Stiles sang sarcastically as he disappeared into the kitchen with his plate and glass.

Stiles enter the room to find Derek had put the book away and was waiting for him standing in the middle of the room. "Deaton said you are to see him after school tomorrow. He wants to start your training right away. I need a couple of days to organise some things. I'll text you when I have it all arranged", Derek mumbled quickly as he walked the young teen to the door.

"Good night then Sourwolf", Stiles grinned. Derek nodded and closed the door behind him. Why did Stiles have to be such an annoying little shit at times? And why did Derek get landed with him as a mate?


	2. No time left to learn

Stiles had been learning to control his magic for a couple of months now. To everyone's surprise including Deaton's Stiles learnt at an astonishing rate. He started his sessions with Derek about a week after he started seeing Deaton every afternoon after school. His sessions with Derek were three times a week and after just a month Derek proclaimed he had nothing more to teach Stiles. At first Stiles had been rather nervous about the sessions with Derek but it turned out that Talia Hale had taught her betas control by teaching them to control their emotions. Derek had a lot of his mother's documents stored away and thus had been able to implement her teachings with Stiles with only a few minor adjustments. Derek had been a surprisingly good teacher and Stiles found he had grown fond of their time together. Therefore even when Stiles had Derek's approval they spent time hanging out.

"So how goes magical studies with Deaton?" Derek asked Stiles as they sat down on the sofa in his loft one Saturday afternoon.

"It's going great. He says he has never seen someone take to magic with such a keen talent", Stiles sighed proud of himself for once. He had always suffered from low self esteem but when it came to magic it just seemed to come to him naturally. "He was saying that he thinks I might be ready to just learn on my own from now on. He's gonna give me a couple of books to start out with and when I've finished with those I can exchange them for some more."

Derek nodded as he started the film Stiles had chosen. "Avengers again? Really Stiles?" Derek shook his head at the film choice. When Stiles had first started spending time with him purely for fun it had been awkward as they didn't know what they had in common. It was when Stiles realised that Derek had a severe lack of movie knowledge that they found something they could do together while feeling at ease. Though Derek was a bit confused how watching the same film over and over was supposed to educate him he was happy to keep quiet like usual. Since they had gotten rid of the alpha pack Derek found himself drawn irresistibly drawn to the teen. Now he wanted to make Stiles happy as much as possible just to see him smile. He had yet to tell Stiles how he felt or to tell the boy that he knew, he was his mate.

"Don't play the grumpy card with me Sourwolf. I see you smile every time we watch it", Stiles teased him completely unaware of why Derek always smiled when they watched it.

"Okay but afterwards we get to watch a film of my choice", Derek grunted while trying to hide his smile at Stiles nickname for him. He used to hate the stupid nickname but now he had grown to like it. Love it even. At least when Stiles used it.

"Sure", Stiles replied as he made himself comfortable on the sofa. "As long as it is one of the DVDs from the approved pile." Stiles brought over a whole stack of DVDs whenever he visited the loft and they separated them into approved by both or approved by Stiles. The approved by Stiles pile contained films that Derek refused to watch on principal. Most of them were Disney or chic flicks. Every now and then he would allow Stiles to watch one and he would spend most of the film watching Stiles facial expressions.

Stiles never kept quiet for long but Derek had discovered the boy babbled less when he was watching a film. Sure he still talked and talked more than a normal person would but it was usually something related to the film, relevant information to a character or actor. "You know when Scott first become a werewolf he loved the idea that he was like the incredible hulk", Stiles whispered.

"You mean how anger made him stronger?" Derek asked for clarification. Stiles nodded as he leant forward so he could have a sip of his coke before he settled back on the sofa. Derek noticed when he did that the gap between them had closed slightly. Derek watched the film while struggling to come to a decision. It had been two months since he resigned himself to the fact he liked Stiles and that Stiles was his mate. Yet he wasn't sure how Stiles felt about this because he had never had the courage to talk about it. He had noticed during the last couple of months signs that possibly Stiles would be okay with it. He had almost convinced himself at one point that Stiles felt something for him and had been on the verge of discussing the issue. Unfortunately his resolve had unravelled and he had dismissed the whole thing as teenage hormones. The sudden pausing of the film pulled Derek from his thoughts.

"Derek, are you okay?" Stiles asked him hesitantly.

"Yeah, I'm fine", Derek lied.

"Okay and now the truth. Remember I can tell when you lie to me", Stiles reminded him raising an eyebrow. Derek shifted uncomfortably on the couch. "Look it's okay if you don't want to talk. But you know you can talk to me whenever you need to right?" Stiles continued.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?" Derek asked confused.

"Well Derek, you maybe a grumpy emotionally constipated and severely vocally impaired alpha werewolf but you don't normally sit there growling and digging your claws into your own thigh", Stiles muttered. It was then that Derek realised that Stiles was holding a clawed hand in his. Derek pulled his claws out of his thigh and withdrew the claws until his hands were human again. Stiles started up the film again but kept hold of Derek's hand.

When the film finished like half an hour later Stiles released his hand as he excused himself to use the bathroom. Derek had to fight to keep the wolf side of him from whining from the lack of contact. If Stiles heard him whining it would only raise more questions. Stiles returned a few minutes later and sat back down on the couch but further away again. He turned so he was facing Derek with his feet in front of him, resting his chin on his knees. "Please Derek, tell me what's bothering you. Is it something I did or said?" Stiles asked again in the uncertain hesitant tone he used before.

Stiles didn't think he had done anything to anger the alpha but then he was so used to fighting with the older man that it still sometimes occurred like second nature, a reflex he had no control over. "Stiles you didn't do anything wrong. It's not you it's me", Derek mumbled. Derek felt the need to reach out and comfort the younger pack member but didn't. Though Stiles had researched and understood the whole pack touching thing it would seem weird for Derek to touch him when it was just the two of them. Or at least to him it did since he now knew he wanted Stiles in a different way than he used to. If he was honest about his feelings it might be different but until he could open up Stiles was off limits.

"Derek Hale, are you giving me the 'it's not you it's me' speech even though we aren't a couple?" Stiles asked lightly. Derek noticed that Stiles' heartbeat increased as he finished the sentence. Derek didn't know how to answer so he stayed characteristically quiet.

Stiles shuffled down the sofa until his knees were touching the side of Derek's leg. Reaching across he gripped one of the older man's hand between his two slightly smaller, cooler hands. "Derek I don't know what has you so worked up and I can't help unless you tell me", Stiles smiled sadly. Turning himself on the sofa he repositioned himself so he was sitting on the sofa pushed up right against the alpha's side. Taking a deep breath he laid his head on Derek's shoulder hoping if the werewolf relaxed he might talk about whatever was bothering him. Stiles stilled as he felt Derek wrap an arm around his shoulders before relaxing into it. He had been worried not sure he was doing the right thing. Sure werewolf packs had the whole touching thing but they were also still humans and Derek had never been comfortable with touches that related to his human side. Stiles assumed the human side of Derek felt catious about opening up to people after Kate used him.

They both sat there in silence in the strangely comforting embrace for what seemed like hours but was probably only minutes. Abruptly the silence was shattered as Stiles' phone went off. Derek hesitantly released the younger man so he could answer it.

"Stiles, researcher extraordinaire here", Stiles grinned as he answered the call. "What can I help you with Scott?"

**Stiles we need you down at the pet clinic asap.**

"What's up man?" Stiles asked as he jumped up off the couch.

**I'll explain when you get here.** Scott told him as he disconnected the call.

"Damn it Scott", Stiles cursed as his best friend gave him very little information as bloody usual. "You heard that right?" Stiles asked Derek. Derek nodded. "I'll try and get back as soon as possible", Stiles muttered as he headed for the door.

* * *

Stiles ran into the pet clinic heading to the back examination room where they always meet. "Scott?" he called as he moved through the building.

"In here", Scott called back trying to hide the pain in his voice. Stiles rounded the corner to find Scott sitting on the metal examination table with a dagger embedded in his chest. Deaton stood to one side looking at the dagger with a wary eye. Stiles moved forward and immediately reached for the dagger. "No Stiles", Scott cried trying to move away. Stiles finger barely touched the hilt before he felt voltage pass through his entire nervous system. The pain was enough that it made him automatically move his hand back away from the dagger.

"Stiles the dagger is cursed. I don't suggest you touch it", Deaton told him. "Now I had Scott call you here because you are needed to remove the dagger. But before you can remove it I think we need to remove the curse. We can't do that unless we can identify the curse. I don't possess the level of power needed to break a curse of this calibre so you must be the one to do it. Stiles you have the greatest gift for magic I've seen. I know you can do this even if you haven't studied cursing yet. Follow your instincts and tell us what to do."

Stiles sighed because they were asking a lot of him. It was true Stiles hadn't studied curing yet but he had read passages that discussed the complicated magical art. He knew the why was going to be the more important than the how. "Scott tell me how did this happen?" Stiles asked quietly.

"I'd just left the hospital after speaking with my mom. As I approached the car this hooded figure blocked my path and said 'This is from Gerald' before he stabbed me and ran off leaving the dagger in my chest. I tried to remove it myself but the moment I touched it I collapsed from the pain. Deaton tried when I got here and just like you he barely touched it before he was forced to back off", Scott coughed.

"So if Gerald did this then it was obviously to get revenge for you tricking him. From stopping him from becoming a werewolf", Stiles muttered. He focused his mind for a minute on the dagger. There was something he was missing. He could sense the dagger had a strong curse placed upon it but there was something else another darkness he would need to understand before he could even try to undo the curse. Suddenly his eyes opened as he understood what he felt from his sixth magical sense. "Right, Scott this is going to hurt a lot but I need you to focus. I know what Deaton said but I'm going to need to remove the dagger and I need you to stay as still as possible."

Focusing his magic he looped it around the dagger and pulled on it. Even with his mind touching the thing it bought Stiles a huge amount of pain but he refused to give in as the dagger slowly began to slide out. Breathing sharply against the pain he continued until he felt the resistance fade and he heard Scott sigh with relief. The dagger was out and Stiles moved it over to the metal surface in the corner before he released it from his magic. "Well done, Stiles", the vet praised him.

"Its – not – over – yet", Stiles panted through the pain that hadn't subsided yet. He watched as the wound the dagger made in his best friends chest didn't heal.

"Scott you're not healing", Deaton said concerned. "This is what you meant isn't it Stiles?"

"Yeah", Stiles breathed as he felt the pain begin to subside. "I got the dagger out but the curse is still in effect. Now I'm going to need a few things. I need some paper, ink, a quill, some small twigs, some earth, an ice cube and the rarest most exotic type of wolfsbane you have. Meanwhile I need to get Derek here", he said pulling out his phone. "Oh and I'll need some mountain ash."

* * *

Derek arrived ten minutes later just as Deaton finished gathering the last of the items. Luckily Deaton had got the paper, ink and quill first so Stiles thumbed through one of the books looking for something before carefully starting on his preparations.

"Hey Sourwolf. No time for questions I'm afraid. I need you to do exactly as you are told, no hesitations. Scott's been cursed and I'm trying to save his life", Stiles spoke quickly as he finished his preparations on the paper. "Derek stand behind Scott and help him keep standing. There on the other side of the table to me." Stiles moved the paper to the centre of the metal examination table and reached out his hand for the mountain ash which flew across the room towards him. He sprinkled a little of the ash clockwise around the runes he had taken meticulous care in drawing. "Okay Deaton do you have the wolfsbane?" Stiles asked as he placed the ice cube in one corner of the paper. In the next corner he placed the earth and the miniature campfire in the opposite corner that just left one corner empty. Deaton handed him the wolfsbane and he set that down beside the rest of his equipment.

"Almost ready. Scott, are you still with us?" Stiles asked as he grabbed the empty glass beaker from the workbench behind him and turned it upside down on the last corner of the paper. Scott gave a rather feeble reply and Stiles could tell he was losing him. He had to do this quick. "Derek, be ready. You better wolf out now." Flicking a finger to the miniature campfire he set it a light with his magic.

Stiles paused and focused his magic as he brought the dagger over to lay it in the middle of the rune. Again the pain shot through his system but he picked up the wolfsbane and placed it on the dagger.

"Goddess Hecate, mother of magic accept these offerings that I present. With tributes to elements, four, circled round. This object wields a deadly curse we seek undone. Life for life, mythical for mortal is the spells intent. As once before allow us to use mountain ash to thwart the caster's will. With the gift of the bite given once more, we ask you return what was stolen. Renew this soul", Stiles murmured.

Stiles looked down at his hand and using his magic cut a shallow wound. Dripping blood on top of the wolfsbane he watched as a vapour rose and the weapon turned to ash. "Derek bite him now", Stiles called. He watched as Derek sank his fangs into Scott's shoulder. Scott screamed in pain until Derek removed his fangs but Stiles could already see Scott's strength returning. Stiles felt his magic flowing in the room around him, pulsing like a living thing until Scott's body drew it in. The moment his magic was drawn into Scott's body his eyes flashed the red of an alpha again. Stiles sighed in relief that he had succeeded but felt exhausted at having to channel so much magic. Whoever had cast that spell for Gerald was no newbie. The sheer amount of power Stiles had needed to shatter the curse was overwhelming.

"Stiles?" the vet asked in a curious tone.

"Yeah", Stiles answered while grinning since he already knew what the vet was going to say.

"What was all that about? 'Mother hecate' etc", the vet asked back with a smile.

"First curse removal and all I wanted it to seem you know cool", Stiles said as he grin grew wider.

"Idiot", muttered Derek and Scott simultaneous with affection before looking at each other with a smile and then looking away.


	3. Broken Stiles

It had been three weeks since Stiles had undone his first curse. Since then a few more had turned up in Beacon Hills as well. There was one particular curse that had been difficult for Stiles for a number of reasons. The curse had arrived two weeks ago and this time it wasn't aimed at Scott but Stiles himself. It had removed his voice and sight leaving him feeling exceptionally vulnerable. Immediately his hand had flown to the mobile phone in his pocket and he had blindly managed to speed dial the one person he knew he could count on.

The moment Derek picked up the phone Stiles made as much noise as he could by slamming stuff down on his desk. He just hoped that the werewolf would register enough to understand that something was wrong. It had been a difficult one for Stiles to combat because he couldn't read since he was blind so he depended on the alpha to read aloud for him so he could work out how to undo it. Also he couldn't speak so communicating what he needed took some work. In the end Stiles just wrote down everything he wanted to say and showed it to the man. Eventually though after working together for a whole day Stiles had managed to undo the curse.

When everything was said and done though Derek asked him why? That singular word was all he uttered yet Stiles somehow knew exactly what he was trying to ask. Why had he called Derek straight away and not his best friend? Stiles meticulously explained it to him. Saying it was kinda how Scott said to Derek before, 'You maybe an alpha but you're not mine'. He muttered quietly something about how he considered Derek his alpha while Scott would always remain just his lovable but goofy best friend. To Stiles Derek represented support and reliability. He was someone Stiles felt he could turn to no matter what the problem. Stiles felt safe and secure when he was with the alpha. Admitting all of this to Derek had been amazingly difficult and Stiles had found himself blushing. Yet he was surprised when he finally looked up to find Derek blushing just as much.

Over the next few days Stiles had seen a change in Derek. Stiles' praise had knocked down some of the walls the alpha had around his heart and he was acting warmer, in a more caring manner than ever before with Stiles. Friendly embraces like the rest of the pack had was the first sign but that had been swiftly eclipsed by the night that Derek cuddled up with Stiles on the younger man's bed, both falling fast asleep in the comforting arms of the other.

It had been an interesting three weeks and Stiles for the first time in a long time felt like everything would be okay. Everything seemed to be coming together in his life. Of course he scolded himself the moment he consciously thought that because he sensed that even thinking it was bound to in fact destroy it.

"Dude", Scott moaned when he opened the door to his best friend Saturday morning. "It's like nine am and Deaton finally gave me a weekend off. What are you doing here so early?"

"Scott you promised me a twelve hour marathon of video games. Now I know from past experience that every two hours or so you will excuse yourself to relieve your bladder which takes you on average two minutes. Every hour and a half you will want to pause for five or so minutes to stretch and you will be moaning every three or so hours that you need a break so you have a snack and get something to drink. You will also start moaning at around ten pm when you've had enough and want me to leave you alone. But if we factor in all the breaks you want for various reasons we are looking at finishing gone midnight. Now man, you made a promise and you are going to stick to it aren't you?" Stiles babbled to the still bleary eyed, sleepy Scott.

"Whatever. I didn't follow half of that and the half I did follow was just creepy. Get your butt in the door before I change my mind", Scott yawned as he stood aside to let his best friend in.

* * *

"Scott man, you're killing me literally", Stiles groaned as he watched his game character die again while Scott's character had become stationary. Scott had stopped to yawn and stretch leaving Stiles to beat up the two computer players. At this level it really wasn't an option to try and solo the missions.

"Sorry man but we have been playing for five hours straight. Sure I had that energy drink and coffee so the caffeine would wake me up quickly and we could start playing straight away like you insisted but now I need a break", Scott moaned. "Give me five minutes and –" Scott stopped what he was saying as his phone rang. "Oh it's my mom", Scott told him as he looked at the caller ID. Stiles paused the game as this was one of the legitimate reasons both had agreed upon many years ago. A parental phone call took priority. "Hey mom", Scott answered the phone before he began to scowl. "Hold up he is right here with me. Sure I will pass you over."

Scott handed his phone to Stiles who gave him a scrunched up quizzical expression. _**Stiles, it's Melissa.**_

"Hey Ms. McCall", Stiles answered in a confused expression at her tone which sounded pained and anxious.

_**Look Stiles I need you and Scott to come down to the hospital as soon as possible.**_

"Okay. Is everything alright?" Stiles asked feeling uneasy now himself.

_**Just get down to the hospital Stiles and hurry**_._** Pass me back to Scott please.**_ Stiles handed the phone back to Scott who took it and listened before his face paled and Stiles read pain and worry cross his face.

"Yeah mom. We're leaving right now", Scott said as he put the phone down. He grabbed his sneakers and began to pull them on his feet. "Stiles man, hurry up we got to go."

"What's wrong did your mom tell you anything?" Stiles asked.

"No, she wouldn't tell me anything just that we needed to get to the hospital", Scott said worried.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Stiles replied as he jumped up switching the power off to the television and the games console. He was down the stairs and in the jeep starting the engine before Scott even got to the front door. Frustrated at his lack of knowledge regarding the situation at the hospital had Stiles pushing his horn as he yelled for Scott to hurry up.

* * *

Stiles pulled into the hospital parking lot and both boys jumped out heading for the entrance as fast as they could. The ride over had been filled with an uncomfortable silence after they had both started yelling at each other when their irritation boiled over. Scott was slightly ahead of Stiles being the faster of the two of them. Scott looked around for his mom knowing she would be nearby waiting to greet them somewhere by the entrance like she always was in these situations. "Mom!" he called out as he spotted her. Stiles followed him over to the clearly distressed and emotional woman.

"What happened?" Scott asked quickly.

"Who is it Ms. McCall?" Stiles said unknowingly asking the right question.

Melissa McCall took a steady breath as she summoned the strength she needed to tell Stiles what she knew he would accept best from her. "Stiles, I'm sorry. It's your father. He's – he's dead", she said her voice breaking at the end.

"No. No it can't be", Stiles refused to believe those words. His dad couldn't be dead. That would make him an orphan. He was barely a year older than Derek was when Derek's family burnt. "He's not dead. Don't tell me he's dead", Stiles moaned as he leaned against Scott who had put his arm on his best friend's shoulders as soon as he heard the news.

"I'm sorry Stiles but it's true. I meet the ambulance upon arrival", Melissa told him in a voice that wobbled with emotion.

"What happened?" Scott asked knowing that despite his state Stiles needed to hear the details.

"I don't know everything. There was some sort of accident when he was chasing a suspect on foot. They were in the industrial sector when it happened. The cable on some scaffolding supplies snapped and John was underneath them at the time. His body was pierced by metal tubes in several places. When they got to him he was assumed DOS. It was confirmed on arrival here", Melissa answered quietly.

"Are they sure it was an accident?" Stiles asked his voice shaking but strong. Maybe it wasn't an accident. Maybe his dad had been targeted as a vulnerable member of the pack's weakest link. With all they had put up with recently he didn't think it was too much to assume. Or maybe this was just an instance of his own hyper vigilance. As he felt his anger grow he felt his magic straining against his control. It was trying to break free; to act on his subconscious desires. He realised a small portion of it must have escaped his restraint when he became aware of tremors in the air around him.

"They aren't sure of much at the moment. There'll be an investigation to be sure", Melissa assured him while she stroked his cheek comfortingly in a motherly way. It was an answer he expected but it still somehow calmed him slightly.

"Melissa", Stiles breathed as tears began to form in his eyes as he began to accept the truth despite his resolve to ignore the facts. Melissa froze as Stiles called her by her first name. She knew her son's best friend well enough to know when he called her by her first name it was something vitally important. Something she wouldn't be able to lie to him about. "Was it – did he – die quickly? Was he in a lot of pain?"

Melissa took another deep breath as she answered truthfully all the while hating herself for the pain she was about to inflict, "The metal punctured multiple vital spots. If he was in pain it wouldn't have lasted long." Stiles nodded as he looked away and buried his chest in his best friend's hoodie, releasing the tears silently.

Scott moved them over to the chairs by the wall and continued to hold his broken friend. Scott could smell the saltiness of the tears and whispered repeatedly the only two words his mind could summon, "I'm sorry."

"Stiles there are some personal items that I'll bring back with me but I don't think you should be alone at the moment. Not after something like this. You'll come and stay with us", Melissa whispered as she crouched in front of the chair Stiles was in.

"I want to stay with Derek", Stiles spoke after a moment. He managed to choke out the sentence before he felt the need to hide his face again.

"Honey, I'm not sure that's –", Melissa began but stopped as the power throughout the building began to fail. Lights flickered and the automatic doors got stuck wide open. Looking at the computers at the nurse's station she saw the monitors struggling to keep a picture. "Okay. Okay Stiles. Scott will drive you there. But you call us if you need anything or if you change your mind."

Stiles raised his head and looked her in the eye. Even if this was the worst day in his life, topping his previous worst day which had been the day his mom died, he had still been raised properly and he nodded as he breathed out, "Thanks Ms. McCall. I'll keep that in mind." He saw Melissa give Scott a nod that said 'get him out of here'.

Scott led his best friend back out to the jeep and took the keys that Stiles readily supplied robotically before he help Stiles into the passenger seat. Starting up the jeep Scott drove them both across town in another uncomfortable silence. There was nothing he could think of to say to the friend he had known longest in his life. Scott had known Stiles so long they were more like brothers than friends.

* * *

Pulling up at Derek's building he waited by the door for Stiles to catch up with him. Stiles was moving slowly almost as if he had given up. Scott couldn't blame him either. He had no idea what Stiles was going through. The only person who would was three floors above them. The lift came and they rode it up until they stood outside Derek's door.

Scott was momentarily surprised to find his fellow alpha standing in the doorway already. Derek looked concerned as he focused on Stiles. "Get him inside", he told Scott who taking Stiles by the arm pulled him inside and sat him down on the couch. Derek disappeared into his bedroom and came back a moment later with a blanket that he put around the broken boy's shoulders. "I'll be right back", he whispered to his mate before he pulled Scott away back towards the door. "What happened?" he asked abruptly while keeping his voice down so Stiles wouldn't hear.

"His dad died in the line of duty. Accident we think", Scott whispered back in a hushed tone. "Why were you waiting by the door?" Scott phrased his question carefully. Obviously Derek would have heard them coming but he'd never meet them at his door before.

"I smelt the despair and pain. I had to know what caused it", Derek answered honestly in a guarded voice. "Scott you can go. I'll look after him."

"That's good. Stiles wanted to come here. My mom offered for him to stay with us but he asked for you", Scott whispered softly yet slightly bitter.

"Goodnight Scott", Derek responded as he turned and headed to the younger male who sat shaking on the couch whether it was from the cold or from his emotional state Derek would never know. He sat on the couch beside Stiles and pulled the human into a tight, warm and comforting embrace. He let Stiles rest his chin on his shoulder and rubbed the back of Stiles head as he heard Stiles break down again. He pulled Stiles onto his lap so he could hold his mate closer and they sat like this silently until Stiles cried himself out.

"I'm sorry Derek", Stiles croaked from a sore throat. "I didn't want to stay with Scott or anyone else. I knew you'd be the only one who would understand." Stiles' hold around Derek tightened as he spoke.

"It's fine Stiles. You can stay as long as you like", Derek whispered in his ear. Sliding Stiles off his lap he whispered, "Let me just grab you some water." Before Stiles could object Derek escaped his grasp and disappeared into the kitchen. He was back in a flash with a glass of water that he handed to Stiles who gratefully gulped down a couple of mouthfuls to alleviate his sore dry throat.

"Thanks Sourwolf", Stiles tried to smile back but the attempt failed and Derek found it painful to watch the boy attempt it. The false cheer he tried to infect his voice with sounding wrong.

"Do you need anything else? Maybe you're tired and just want to sleep. You can use my bed. I'll sleep on the couch", Derek told Stiles.

"Derek I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed", Stiles whispered back. "I'll stay on the couch. You've done enough for me."

"Stiles you will sleep in the bed", Derek growled firmly to show Stiles he wasn't allowed to argue. "Come on you look exhausted." Derek helped him stand and walked with him to the bedroom. Stiles sat down on the edge of the bed while Derek knelt down before him and tipped his chin up with his thumb and forefinger, to look him in the eyes. "Help yourself to anything you need. If you can't find something let me know and I'll get it for you", he promised and waited for Stiles to nod. "Goodnight", he said as he stood to leave. Stiles grabbed his hand as he stood and turned to leave.

"Derek", he whispered almost too quiet for even an alpha werewolf to hear. Raising his voice slightly he continued. "Stay with me. Please. I don't want to be alone. Not tonight." Stiles stared up into Derek's eyes pleading silently. Derek nodded and moved to lie on the bed beside his mate. Lying on his back Derek felt Stiles curl up against his side and rest his head on Derek's chest. Derek rested an arm on Stiles' back and kissed the top of his head.

* * *

It had been a week since his dad had died and Stiles was still a shell. He had stayed at Derek's all week. He hadn't left the loft at all and Scott, Derek, Melissa and Lydia were getting worried. They weren't stupid; they all recognised that grief affects people in different ways but they worried about how Stiles was coping. Melissa and Scott had bought over Stiles some of his things the day after it happened; just some clothes, his laptop and a few personal belongings. They had been visiting every other day while Lydia had been over every day after school. Issac and Allison had visited too but not as often. Stiles showed no life when any of them visited. He talked but not as much as usual and he sat still which is something he never had before.

Derek was even more worried than he let on to Scott or Melissa because he saw what Stiles was like all day when no one else was around. He would wake in the morning to find Stiles cuddled up to him already awake. Derek would get them both up and make them breakfast. Stiles would only eat a few bites of toast and drain his orange juice. The first morning at Derek's loft Derek had made the boy coffee to go with his breakfast like he knew Stiles usually did but it had remained untouched. "Dad used to have coffee with his breakfast", Stiles had muttered. After that Derek didn't make the same mistake again.

All day long Stiles would sit around the apartment staring silently at the same spot for hours. Derek alternated between leaving him with his thoughts and trying to rouse some sign of life through various methods. He would sit beside his mate and embrace him lovingly while he talked. God how he talked hoping that it might help Stiles! Stiles never showed any sign that he heard Derek even though Derek was talking more than he had in years. The only time Stiles spoke was when his friends visited or he answered a direct question from Derek.

"Scott and Melissa are coming over for dinner tonight", Derek told the silent Stiles beside him before he lapsed into silence. They sat there together in silence for about half an hour before Stiles spoke, "I'm sorry Derek."

Derek frowned as he turned to look in Stiles usually warm honey eyes. They were no longer the warm honey they had been instead they were something hard and cold. Almost copper like Derek thought. Every day they grew just a bit darker and he doubted it would be long before they turned onyx. "Why are you sorry? What have you got to be sorry about?" Derek asked Stiles confused.

Stiles looked away from Derek's green eyes as he spoke. Stiles never managed to keep eye contact when speaking anymore. "I'm sorry that I'm being such a burden to you. I'm taking up space in your apartment, I'm not helping do anything and instead I just sit around all day. And worst of all I'm weak. I'm so damn weak that I insist you hold me while I sleep. I'm ruining your life. I'm as bad as Kate", Stiles whispered darkly.

"Stiles", Derek whispered back forcefully. "You are nothing like Kate. Don't you ever think that! And its okay there is no need to be sorry. You're grieving it's understandable. There is plenty of space here for the two of us. And Stiles", Derek paused until with his help the boy looked at him. "I don't mind holding you at night", he said solemnly. Derek watched as something flashed briefly in Stiles' eyes. It was so momentary that he couldn't register what he saw before it vanished. Stiles kept the glance without looking away and Derek could almost see the gears in the intelligent half elf mind working vigorously. He wished Stiles would tell him what he was thinking so he could help.

Dinner that evening with the McCalls was another quiet affair. As Derek saw Scott and his mom to the door they quietly spoke about what they could do best to help Stiles. They kept it brief and after a moment wished each other good night. As Derek walked back to him Stiles stood and grabbed his hand. Derek took the hand offered to him and allowed himself to be dragged into the bedroom. Both of them undressed and climbed onto the bed. Stiles just lying there for a moment before he pulled himself over to the alpha and secured his hands around his waist. Derek closed his eyes and breathed the scent of his mate in deeply, allowing it to fill him up as he let himself drift off to sleep.


	4. A stronger Stiles

Derek woke the next morning feeling uneasy. Instantly he registered what was wrong. Stiles was missing from the bed where he usually lay beside the alpha until they were both awake. Derek jumped out of bed and began sniffing for his mate. Stiles smell was still around but it was from a few hours ago. There was no scent that was fresh. Derek ran quickly to check the rest of his apartment just to be sure he wasn't over reacting but he already knew Stiles wasn't in the loft because he couldn't hear his heart beat. When he entered the kitchen he found a folded piece of paper with 'Sourwolf' written on top. Derek unfolded and read Stiles neat handwriting.

_**Dear Sourwolf,**_

_**I'm sorry things had to happen this way but I know this was the best way to leave things. Please say goodbye to everyone for me. Scott, Ms. McCall, Allison, Kira, Issac, Lydia, Cora and Deaton. Would you do me one last favour please? I know I have no right to ask after all you have already done for me and all I have put you through, am about to put you through, but it would mean the world to me if you would deliver my jeep to Scott. I know he will look after it. Even if I am not driving it anymore I am fond of it and knowing it will be looked after will make it easier for me to find some sort of peace.**_

_**Thanks for everything you did for me Sourwolf. And I don't mean just this last week since my dad died. I'm talking about letting me hang out with you, teaching me to control my emotions and ergo my magic, for all the times you saved my life even if I saved yours a butt load more times than you saved mine. For looking after Scott even when he helped get you thrown in jail and for allowing me to be a part of the pack. Hell I want to thank you for threatening me even. I think I realised a long time ago that you only threatened me because it was the only way you could show you cared. You warmed up to me though, I knew it would happen and it did when we spent time together. I'll always remember the times we had that meant something to me. The time kanima/Jackson trapped us in the pool for hours, the time you saved me from your uncle Peter. But most of all I'll remember the nights you held me in your arms when I was too weak to be on my own.**_

_**I know I've babbled on while I was writing this letter but I needed to okay? So sue me if you didn't want to read it. But there is one thing I've been trying to work up the courage to tell you now for a while. Something that even if you don't feel the same way won't change how I feel about you. **_

_**Derek, I love you! I have for quite a while, I'm not sure how long exactly. I guess my ten year plan for Lydia sort of just fizzled out. Because while we were fighting the alpha pack I figured out that you meant so much more to me than she ever did. When we spent those couple of days thinking you were dead it was crippling. The pain was similar to losing my dad. The difference this time is that I lost someone that loved me back and I couldn't stay. I need time to get over all the pain and scars Beacon Hills has inflicted on me. I couldn't stay and see the ghost of my parents, Erica and Boyd wherever I went in town. Maybe someday I will find my way back there but for now I need to be somewhere else. I need to find a way to be stronger.**_

_**You know what's funny? Right now I feel I understand Jackson what Jackson felt when Scott joined the lacrosse team's first line. I'm just not strong enough and the only way to change that is to become stronger. So that's what I am going to focus on. Thanks again from me Sourwolf.**_

_**Remember even if you don't feel the same way it doesn't matter I'll always love you. Live a good and happy life Derek.**_

_**Stiles**_

Derek pushed the letter away as he fell forward on to the kitchen surface in front of him and throwing his head back he roared putting everything into that one heartbroken continuous sound for as long as he could manage. He was a fool. He had let the one man he ever felt something for leave without telling him that he felt the same way, without telling him that they were mates.

* * *

**Three years or so later**

Stiles was closing up the little shop he worked at after staying open late when he heard the door bell jingle. "Ah sorry we're closing now", Stiles said as he turned to face the late hour visitor. "Oh, sorry Mr. Williams I was just finishing up", Stiles muttered to his boss.

Gregory Williams was in his late fifties, hair greying slightly but not yet receding. He was the best boss Stiles could ask for. Stiles had collapsed outside his shop about eighteen months previously and the man had taken him in. He had offered to help around the shop as repayment for the man looking after him and then one day somehow he had found his self employed by the man to run the shop when he wasn't there. "It's alright Stiles, calm yourself. I only dropped by because I was passing the movie theatre on my way home when I saw that young man that has been courting you. He told me he was waiting for you. Evidently you are over an hour late. Did you forget maybe?" his boss smiled at him. His boss never seemed to get over the number of guys that came into his shop just to flirt with this particular lad.

Stiles looked at the clock behind the counter. Shit! He had forgotten that Adam had invited him out on a date earlier and he hadn't really said no. He hadn't really said yes either though. He liked the guy well enough he just didn't feel the spark he had once felt for Lydia or – or the other one. Stiles had not managed to think the man's name since the day he ran away. Adam was nice enough but Stiles didn't want to lead him on. Besides Adam might seem nice enough however there were moments when Stiles felt strange vibes coming from the man. Dark vibes that frightened him. "Well I didn't necessarily forget", he told his boss. "He sort of came by earlier and invited me to go see a movie. He wouldn't accept no for an answer so I didn't really get a chance to tell him I had plans."

"Stiles I don't remember us discussing the store staying open this late", Mr. Williams muttered. "If I remember you asked if you could keep it open the nights you were not busy. Are you trying to avoid that young man?"

Stiles smiled at his boss. The man cared for him like he was his own son and wasn't afraid to give his butt the kicking it need when it was for Stiles own good. "Yes that's what we agreed", Stiles replied.

"Well no more discussion then", Mr. Williams smirked. "Off with you. Get out my store and go meet your date. I'll close up for you. But Stiles", he added as the boy disappeared.

Popping his head back in Stiles smiled, "Yes boss?"

"You'll make it up to me tomorrow. I want you to finish those five tracking charms pronto", Mr. Williams informed him.

"Sure and I'll start working on developing those self cleaning mops", Stiles nodded before he vanished. He smiled as he rushed along the road towards the movie theatre. He was so lucky to have found himself working at _Spellbooks_. He was actually the one who performed the magic in the back workshop enchanting and preparing most of the goods they sold. He helped out with the shop floor business when he wasn't busy or late evenings when they stayed open to try and attract some extra custom. Gregory Williams had asked what his views were on those that believed in magic when Stiles first started helping him out. Stiles had answered honestly and the man had revealed his magic to the young man expecting to see shock. When Stiles had grinned and copied the low level magic Stiles had the pleasure of seeing the look of shock on his face instead. Mr. Williams had begun offering wages the moment his shock wore off.

"Stiles", Adam grinned as he saw the half elf. Stiles hugged the guy but pulled back quickly something was off about the man again. Stiles was pretty sure that it was only the guy's movie star good looks and the delicate friendliness he used that made him like the guy in the first place. At times it was like he saw straight through to the true man and all he saw was darkness.

"Sorry I was busy locking up the shop. You didn't wait this morning so I couldn't tell you I was busy", Stiles explained unapologetically.

"Oh that's okay it's my fault anyway", Adam replied as warmly as he could. Stiles still sensed the icy tone barely hidden and he was sure Adam knew he noticed. "Look we missed the last showing so how about I walk you home and maybe we stop on the way for a bite", Adam smirked. He gestured for them to start walking and led the way down the street. Stiles followed feeling stupid again for always thinking the worst of such a nice guy. Why did he always have to scrutinise guys and make them seem like monsters? Just because they weren't the guy Stiles really still longed for it didn't mean they weren't good people.

"I thought we might take a little shortcut", Adam suggested as he walked into the park. He turned as if he was frightened Stiles wouldn't follow him but continued the moment he saw Stiles walking with him through the trees that lined this part of the park. "It's a lovely moon tonight", Adam mused as he continued forward. "It'll be a full moon next week."

Stiles felt uneasy as he listened to the guy talk about the moon. The only people who usually bothered to notice the moon were those in the know, those who were part of the supernatural world. Did that mean Adam was part of his world? If so what was he? Stiles stopped walking forward deciding if there was a confrontation it would be better to keep it hidden in the woods. Adam stopped the second he heard Stiles stop moving and turned towards him. "Is everything okay?" he asked in a guarded tone, while he walked back towards Stiles. Stiles walked back until he felt his back hit the trunk of a tree.

"Yeah everything is great", Stiles tried to smile but Adam's expression showed him that his attempt was pitiful. Adam came right up close until he was pushing against Stiles' body. "Adam, what are you?" Stiles asked trying to steady his breathing. He had been away from Beacon Hills for three years and he'd managed to avoid life and death encounters within the supernatural world. But three years had done wonders for him. He had accomplished one of the things he told Sourwolf he would do in his letter. Stiles was stronger now, not physically because he wasn't a werewolf but he was by no means a helpless target anymore like he had been when he thought he was just a human.

"Well damn", Adam chuckled in his ear. "I didn't think you were in the know about the supernatural world. So are you just as intellectual about the supernatural as you are about the natural world? It doesn't matter. You see that is why I picked you out. You're just so good darn intelligent I knew you would be a good choice. I really wanted to do this a couple of weeks ago but it's just taken so long to finally get you alone out of that damn shop." Without adding anything further he bit Stiles.

Stiles screamed as he felt non human teeth tear into his neck's flesh. Concentrating his mind he threw his attacker away into the tree opposite, where the guy fell in the dirt and lay not moving for a moment. Stiles held his hand over his neck wound and tried to heal the wound but it wouldn't which caused him to panic. Why the fuck would his magic not heal the wound? Adam had been right when he assumed Stiles was just as knowledgeable about the supernatural as he was about the natural and he had multiple theories already running through his head when Adam began to stir. Now he would get some answers he thought as he pressed his hand to stem the worse of the bleeding. He just hoped that the worst of his fears were not about to be realised. If Adam was a vampire then Stiles swore he would kill himself because he would not only become reliant on killing to survive but also his connection to magic would be severed as an undead being. "What the fuck man? You bit me. What are you?" Stiles shouted as he summoned his magic to torture the man before him in his fury. Yeah he wasn't as serene about things as he used to be. Since his dad had died Stiles had been angry at the world. While he developed better control for everyday life he still had major anger issues. He watched with a pleased smile as the body before him shook with the voltage Stiles was summoning to shock him.

Adam laughed as he looked up, "Umm you're just full of surprises aren't you Stiles. I never had you figured for a mage." He stopped laughing as Stiles sent another shock through his body and he growled out in pain.

"I'm not a mage you creep. I'm something much rarer. I'm an elf or at least a half elf to be precise", Stiles muttered. Adam's head whipped up in surprise, he had heard of them. But they were supposed to all be dead. Didn't his kind wipe them all out years ago? Stiles gasped as he looked into the ruby red glowing eyes that replaced Adam's usual stormy grey. Fuck it! Stiles had been bitten by an alpha werewolf. That meant he would lose the rest of his humanity. He was about to become the first half elven werewolf to exist. Possible he would be the only one to ever exist but he pushed that aside to deal with later.

"Well it seems I made a mistake", Adam huffed as he braced himself on the tree and used it to help him stand himself up. "I guess I'll have to rectify that now. No fucking elf or half elf will ever be a werewolf", he snarled as he moved towards Stiles again.

Stiles held his hand out to hold the wolf back but the wolf struggled and kept moving towards him. Stiles increased the magic he was using to strengthen his hold but the wolf still moved towards him slowly. Stiles knew if the wolf got to him then he was dead so that left him with only one other option. An option he didn't really want to think about but it was not really a choice he had. Summoning voltage from the werewolf's own body again he used his power to amplify it until it reached the level he knew would kill Adam.

With a final pained howl Adam's body smoked and the red bled from his eyes. Stiles dropped the body to the floor as he felt the wound on his neck healing. Damn it! Stiles had considered the bite was from an alpha because he knew an alpha's bite would be immune to magic and heal of its own accord. Like when his body accepted the bite. Killing the alpha transferred his power to Stiles and it jump started the process. Becoming an alpha had caused him to heal in seconds because it forced his body to accept the power even quicker. Stiles looked with disgust at the body of the werewolf. As he turned he noticed a pendant hanging around his neck and bent to look at it. OH FUCKING HELL he thought as he recognised the design. It was a charm of his own design. When worn it enchanted the wearer so they would become irresistible to the target of their choosing. He didn't understand how it had become so powerful that he almost failed to succumb to its enthralling power. Someone had helped the alpha increase its power because he never put much power on them. He gave them just enough to get the wearer the attention of their target. As he turned away again he conjured flames that would burn the body and the charm away until nothing but ash existed. Continuing on the path Adam had started him on for his apartment Stiles groaned. He needed an aspirin for his head but of course the universe was screwing with him because he knew as a werewolf now that it would have no effect.

* * *

**Two years later**

Stiles was still working at _Spellbooks_ and he was making great money since he had set up a small side business. It was actually sort of a blessing in disguise when he became a werewolf because he found he could work his magic with greater perseverance. His ability to channel magic was linked with his werewolf stamina he was sure of it. As such he managed to accomplish the enchanting and preparations for Mr Williams stock each night after closing. So instead of hiding away in the back and helping out on the till or shop floor when needed he had convinced Mr Williams to allow him to set up a side business in the small room at the back of the shop.

Any money he made there was his to keep minus twenty five percent. Stiles disguised himself as an old man magically and told fortunes, mostly. There were a few customers who were either supernatural themselves or believed in the supernatural and paid him to use his magic for other reasons but those matters were discussed discreetly between the two of them; as was the price.

"So what did Mrs. Richards want from you today?" Mr Williams asked his employee.

"She wanted her fortune told again", Stiles smiled at him.

"Again?" laughed his boss. "That woman has more money than brains if she can come in here and pay to have her fortune told every other week. Oh but I must compliment your skills in persuasion Stiles. You advised her about some products we sell to help her with various tasks around the house and she comes in every week for them now."

"I'm glad to hear it. You probably earn a pretty penny from her", Stiles yawned sleepily as he headed back in to his little sanctuary. "Send anyone in that needs me. I'm just going to rest my eyes." Stiles sat in his comfy arm chair and leant his head back closing his eyes. He wouldn't fall asleep not during office hours but just relaxing so he could sort through things in his mind had become a hobby when he had the free time.

As he relaxed he thought back to how he had handled becoming a werewolf.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Stiles struggled home after being bitten. He had fallen asleep and slept amazingly well for the first time in years. The last time he remembered sleeping so well was in the Derek's arms. Looking at the clock he had been startled to realise he was late for work._

_After work and after Mr Williams had closed up the shop he had come to speak with Stiles in the workshop._

"_Stiles", he had begun. "Would you like to tell me what is wrong with you today? You seem very high strung and edgy."_

"_Well you know we have no secrets and that I think of you as an uncle", Stiles had started nervously. "The thing is something happened last night with Adam. Something bad."_

"_Ah sorry my boy. I thought you two would get on well together", Mr Williams had apologised. "Do we need to get the police involved or maybe work a curse on him so he regrets his actions?"_

"_No we don't need to do either of those things, they won't help. You see he was a werewolf. An alpha werewolf even", he told his boss. He saw his boss was looking confused so he asked, "Mr Williams you don't know much about werewolves do you?"_

_Gregory Williams had shamefully had to shake his head and admit he knew nothing about werewolves. "Well you see the thing is a werewolf can be vicious and animalistic when their wolf side takes over. And whenever their heart rate increases the wolf can be released not just on the full moon. Well alpha werewolves can infect and turn humans with a bite or scratch if the claws go deep enough. Adam bit me", Stiles finished lamely while he waited for his boss to catch up._

"_So you are a werewolf now?" Mr Williams asked his employee to which Stiles had nodded. "Are you dangerous?"_

"_No I will be able to contain the wolf. You see I learnt to control my magic through training designed for and taught to werewolves to teach them control. It was a werewolf that taught me control so you don't need to worry about me losing control", Stiles smiled at his boss._

"_So what's the problem?" Mr Williams asked._

"_Well it's just that he didn't mean just to turn me. He intended to kill me so I was forced to kill him", Stiles paused. "Also a beta werewolf becomes an alpha by killing an alpha. An alpha is a stronger, more powerful version than the betas. By killing Adam I took his alpha status."_

"_And you're worried that you won't be able to control the power?" Mr Williams muttered with understanding. "Look I may not know too much about werewolves Stiles but I do know you. You had a lot of power before last night and you controlled it. You have never let it stop you doing what you see is the right thing. It sounds like being a werewolf requires a strong will which you already possess. After all working magic requires a strong will and I have never met someone with a stronger will than yours."_

_End of Flashback_

* * *

Stiles smiled as he remembered the conversation. Shortly after he had discovered the alpha urges creeping up. It was like Derek had once told him in their rare heart to heart moments. His wolf side was relentlessly howling for him to create a pack and at times Stiles found himself asking himself why he didn't but he always came back to the same thought. It worked like an anchor grounding him from turning anyone. The one thought that always stopped him was the fact that he had a pack, his old pack back home.

It had been five years and he was stronger and that was one of the reasons he gave for his leaving. He had also come to terms with his dad's death at least as much as was possible without him visiting the man's grave. He felt he might be ready to return the only problem was him summoning the courage to actually go back there and face the people he had walked out on.

To face his mate, Derek. Yeah he could once again think of Derek without feeling the horrible guilt he felt before. That emotion had evolved into a much more complicated one. He was feeling guilty for the time he was now spending away since finding out and he was furious with Derek for never telling him. The man must surely have worked it out. That was just one of the many perks he discovered from being a werewolf. Being a werewolf not only gave him the heightened senses, strength and stamina but he had discovered his mate.

Another reason he needed the courage to return home was the alpha situation. Derek and Scott had managed to make two alphas work but he wasn't sure how it would work if he added himself to the mix. To be honest though he kinda hoped it would help if he ever made his way home because he had been playing peacemaker between the two of them for a couple of years before he left. Maybe he was deluding himself but he would never know if he didn't try. Or maybe since he had spent five years away from them, hurting them they might feel differently towards him.

"Stiles", came Mr Williams' voice as his head appeared in the doorway. "You have another customer." His boss opened the door wide and let the man behind him walk in before he said, "This is Deucalion."


	5. Decision time

**A/N: Here is my next chapter guys. Sorry if there are any mistakes. All my work is 'unbeta'ed. I proof read it myself but sometimes they slip through. Please review if you like my work. Even a short sentence means the world to me.**

* * *

"Mr Stilinski", Deucalion smiled wolfishly. "Or would you prefer I call you Stiles? I must say you are looking rather different than when we last meet."

"Call me whatever you like demon wolf but be warned", Stiles replied coldly. "One wrong move and I will end you", he added as he magically levitated a dagger to just under the man's chin and held it against his throat.

The older alpha looked amused as he sat in the chair opposite Stiles not waiting for an invitation. "So the rumours are true, I see", Deucalion drawled slowly. "The sage wolf does indeed defy his very nature. Curiously you survive with no pack or territory and yet unlike any other alpha who has tried you are still sane after a full two years. After all today is the two year anniversary of the day you were bitten isn't it?" Deucalion smiled as he saw the man opposite him flinch.

"How did you know that?" Stiles asked with a shaky voice.

"You'd be surprised at what I know", Deucalion muttered quietly. "For instance we could talk about your friends back home who have allowed a kitsune to join the pack. Disgusting creatures kitsune. Or we could talk about how I have been keeping a close eye on you since you left Beacon Hills. Those are just a couple of subjects we could discuss." The older man lapsed into silence while he looked at the younger with a contemplative interest. "You're a lot quieter than you used to be", he murmured quietly.

"Yeah, I've changed a lot. But then you seem to know all about that somehow", Stiles answered slowly. "How do you know so much about me? And why do you care?"

"I didn't just go to Beacon Hills five years ago to try and recruit Derek Hale. Or even to take care of the threat I learn Scott McCall possessed. Well actually I guess I did until I saw potential in one of his pack. You", Deucalion said pointing at Stiles. "By that time though Jennifer and your pack had decimated my alpha pack; so I kept an eye on you when you left. I lost track, of you I'll admit, when you suddenly left Beacon Hills after Kali killed your father", Deucalion explained.

"So how did you find me again?" Stiles asked curiously.

"Oh I have people all over the place. One of them happened to find you working in this quaint little shop and I paid him a good price for the information", Deucalion smiled amused at something. "You know it's interesting you choose to ask that question when I can see the other is causing you severe discomfort."

"Well maybe that's because I know its crap. Kali had nothing to do with my father's death. Jennifer killed her months before it even happened", Stiles retorted.

"You mean like how Ennis and Derek were dead at one point", Deucalion asked amused. Stiles sat there opposite the man mouth opened and speechless. Could it really be possible? Had Kali survived? After all they never found the body. When they went back to take care of it, it had simply vanished.

Stiles removed his magical disguise as he yelled, "So say I believe you why would Kali go after my father?"

"The blame for that I believe lies with me. She knew of my sudden interest in the weak human of the pack that kept putting himself in danger. You know she was always my favourite within the alpha pack? I knew she was alive and she must have suspected that I knew. She probably feared I would turn you myself and then have you kill her to become an alpha. She assumed I would recreate the alpha pack", Deucalion explained almost bored.

"That doesn't explain why she went after my father though", Stiles growled.

"No but I'm getting to that part. Kali learnt a lesson from being too rash after Jenifer almost killed her I assume. So she waited and she watched your pack. When you discovered your magical gift she sent a cursed item to make you vulnerable but before she could attack Derek showed up. She watched your power increase at an alarming rate and had to rethink her plan. If she couldn't destroy you the way she intended she would destroy a different part of you. She went after your heart by killing your father hoping it would break you. By this point her motive had changed she had discovered I had no interest in reforming the alpha pack and she decided since Derek killed her mate she would ensure he would never know the contentment that comes from having his", Deucalion continued in that bored tone of voice.

"She killed my father just to break me so I wouldn't stick around in Beacon Hills with Derek?" Stiles asked as his eye flashed red.

"That's what I'm telling you", Deucalion nodded.

"And why would I believe you?" Stiles sneered.

"Why wouldn't you believe me? Even when I was the leader of the alpha pack I always spoke the truth to Derek and to Scott. Why would you be any different?" Deucalion smiled. "Trust me or not, I don't care either way about how you deal with that situation. It's not the reason I came to visit you."

"Then what is the reason?" Stiles asked as he calmed his self and allowed his red eyes to fade. He also let the dagger drift slightly further from the wolf opposite.

"Ah that's nice finally some breathing room", Deucalion muttered completely at ease. "What I came to talk to you about is the new alpha pack."

"New alpha pack? I hadn't heard of one", Stiles exclaimed.

"Well you see that's the problem neither have your friends back at Beacon Hills because you are all rather hermit like and refuse to leave your safe little corners. Strictly speaking there isn't one yet either but there are many attempts being made. Did you know werewolf population has decreased by twenty percent in the last four years?" Deucalion asked rhetorically before carrying right on. "Alpha's are trying to band together and form a new alpha pack but they can't seem to make it last. Within two months of collecting together a number of alphas they end up massacring each other."

"So what you come to recruit me to start another alpha pack to stop others from trying?" Stiles asked.

"No didn't I already tell you I'm not interested in forming another one. No I came to see if you would be interested in forming a new alpha pack. Don't look so shocked my boy", Deucalion laughed.

"You see the leader of an alpha make has to be unique, has to demand a certain level of respect and most importantly have a strong will", Deucalion started to explain.

"So you want me to go and back and join up with Scott and Derek?" Stiles interrupted, frowning.

"No. Would you stop and listen for a moment?" Deucalion growled. He waited a moment to see if the younger wolf would indulge his request. "Thank you. No Scott maybe a true alpha but he is not unique. While a true alpha is rare it is not something unique to Mr McCall. You though are unique; an elven werewolf. You possess powerful magical abilities along with your alpha status. You must be the new leader. You must be the one to stop werewolves around the world before we decimate our race into extinction. Yes I would have you join with the alphas already in Beacon Hills but only once you have started forming your own alpha pack."

Stiles sat stunned waiting for the punch line before he managed to choke out, "Oh my god, you're serious?!"

"I'm not a man known for making jokes. I'm a visionary just as I once was before the hunters destroyed my faith. I have alphas Hale and McCall to thank for the restoration of my faith", Deucalion whispered nostalgically.

"Okay so do you have a plan for me or are you expecting me to accept your word and come up with my own?" Stiles asked with half hearted sarcasm. So far he could tell the man had been honest about everything and he didn't like it. If it was all true it was putting him in a horrible situation. Although admittedly it might be giving him just the push he needed to finally return home.

"I have information not a plan. I hear planning is one of your many talents after all, so I figure if I gave you all the information I had you could decide your own course of action", Deucalion said slowly.

"Right and why exactly are you doing all this? I don't doubt you since I can hear you heart beat is steady. So maybe you are doing this to save werewolf kind and maybe you are a man of vision like you said earlier but what do you get out of all this?" Stiles questioned the older man.

"Straight to the point, very well. I'm not doing this just for the safety of our species I do plan to get something out of this. Something only you can give me. I expect to form an alliance with the new alpha back. A bond of friendship, if you will. I made many enemies and though I am still the demon wolf I am not as invulnerable as I used to be. I want a new alpha pack that will offer me and my pack protection", Deucalion admitted.

Stiles sat and considered what the man was asking for carefully. "If I was to do this I would not guarantee your safety I could only offer to help you should the need arise. I won't be anyone's shield. Your enemies have their reasons I'm sure but I would endeavour to reason with them. Those are my terms either take them or leave them."

Stiles watched as the man chewed down on his lip angrily. "Very well I'll take them. You've indeed changed much, Stiles. To think you would drive me to accept such a hard bargain", the older wolf answered hesitantly. "Here is the information I offer you. An alpha pack should contain five members. Anymore and controlling your defensive instincts will become impossible. This is a mistake others who have tried failed to realise. Any less and the werewolf community will likely disregard your significance. As we've already discussed you are best sorted to be the head of such a pack whether you like it or not. I strongly advise including alpha Hale as his name is still widely respected due to his mother's reputation. Doing so will increase your influence over the other packs while giving you access to werewolf history and knowledge passed down through born werewolf families. That same reason about respect applies to alpha McCall. Being a true alpha many other alphas will look towards him and his pack for guidance. Also he will be seen as a sign of strength because of what he is. As to the other two I can only make suggestions. My personal opinion would be the young Mr Lahey that Derek turned and Cora Hale. I advise against letting Peter Hale regain alpha status again. I can recognise another power hungry tyrant when I see one and he most certainly fits the bill. In fact removal of him from the pack would be your wisest course of action."

"That sounds good in theory but what do you expect me to just walk up to Isaac and say hey you need to kill this guy and become an alpha so you can join my pack?" Stiles asked sarcastically. "And what about Cora?"

"Young Mr. Lahey is accompanying a certain Christopher Argent and mademoiselle Argent back to France for a hunter convention. It has come to my attention an alpha with a large pack numbering twenty odd plans to attack this convention. My suggestion would be to allow Mr. Lahey to kill the alpha of this pack while defending his girlfriend. I would also advise the Argents to relocate to Beacon Hills permanently for their own protection. They should get out of the hunter business as soon as possible.

"Wow, Isaac and Allison? Since when? I hope Scott wasn't too heartbroken", Stiles exclaimed before he became quiet again.

"As to the youngest of the Hales I think a little persuasion on your part could convince her to enact revenge for mistreatment of her brother on a certain alpha", Deucalion smiled his wolfish grin again.

"You want me to have Cora kill Kali", Stiles mused. He sat their silently thinking about it. He had to admit it sounded tempting. Scott may have this insane belief that killing was wrong that Stiles admired about him but he didn't fall for it. The world was not black and white. As Peter had said before there were often shades of grey. He didn't agree with Derek's psychotic uncle about much but he did on that. "I think I like that idea actually", Stiles smiled to the older wolf. "But still I know you believe everything you have told me to be true. I will need proof though, that things are as bad as you say because you are asking me for a lot and if I do this it wouldn't be for you. I will only do this if it is truly best for the fate of all werewolves."

Deucalion smiled again as he put his hand in his pocket and with grew out a handful of crystals that glowed. Placing them on the table he said, "You know what this are I take it?"

"Onyx crystals", Stiles muttered picking one up to look at it. "These are exceedingly rare."

"Do you know what they are used for?" Deucalion asked.

"They're use to store memories", Stiles whispered.

"Very good. All of these are glowing because they contain a memory. I collected them over the past two and a half years. Once I learnt of the destruction being caused by those naive enough to think themselved the new alpha pack, I went searching. These are the memories from the survivors", Deucalion told the younger wolf. "They also contain memories from werewolves that show evidence that territory wars have started to break out. The werewolf world has grown used to having an alpha pack. Fear of the alpha pack kept unruly alphas in line. With the loss of the alpha pack order among the packs has been destabilised."

"How long do I have before the attack on the Argents?" Stiles asked already knowing he would go and help them. The question in his head was; do I follow Deucalion's plan?

"If you wish to save them you would need to fly out tomorrow morning", the older man answered. One night to decide wasn't much but at least he had a few hours to consider it.

"I'll take a look at the crystals, watch the memories and get back to you tomorrow then. Where can I find you?" Stiles asked as he walked by the man he reached out and pocketed the dagger. Deucalion followed him to the shop door.

"Meet me at the airport by nine am if you decide to do this. Once you decide to do this though there can be no turning back so be certain you are sure", Deucalion warned him. Stiles nodded as he held the door for the man. "You know I regret not being able to turn you sooner. You will make a great leader because you're charismatic, you're loyal but most of all you have an unwavering determination. Tomorrow then", Deucalion smiled and left the shop.

Turning the sign to 'Closed' and locking the door Stiles retreated to his little room at the back and sank into his arm chair massaging his temples. He heard his boss Mr. Williams approach and sit himself down on the other side of the table. They sat there together in silence for a moment before his boss spoke. "Stiles please tell me what is happening? I get that guy and you have some bad history so please explain. I don't care you closed the shop all I care about right now is making sure you're okay."

Stiles smiled up at him. Mr. Gregory Williams really was the best boss Stiles could ever dream of having. He sighed as he launched into the conversation telling his boss the whole complicated mess he found himself in. He went into great detail to explain what Deucalion wanted from him and ended by asking his boss his opinion. As he ended his explanation he realised he had been talking for over an hour.

"Well Stiles I think you should trust your instincts. You said if the memories are as bad as he makes out then you feel it would be right to do what he asked. I agree if what he said is true you can't let it continue happening. And I agree with him that all three of you; Scott, Derek and yourself are ideal to be leaders of this new alpha pack because there is something very special about you. Not one of you asked for this power. You had the power given to you and you've cope with it extremely well. Those best suited to power are those who don't ask for it. They exercise extreme caution with it and keep themselves in control", Mr. Willaims said proudly. "If you decide to do this I want you to know you have my full encouragement and support. Don't worry about the shop I was beginning to think of retiring anyway. I'm not as young as I used to be. I'd like to enjoy life a little more while I have the chance."

Stiles smiled at his boss as the man rose to leave but not before he gave a comforting squeeze to Stiles' shoulder. Stiles sighed again as he turned his attention to the onyx crystals that sat on the table before him. Picking up the first of the thirteen crystals he summoned the words to release its contents and was engulfed by the captured memory.


	6. Isaac's fight

Stiles woke with a start as the cab driver yelled at him through the glass he paid the guy and got out. He couldn't believe where his life had taken him. How did he somehow land with the responsibility for the entire werewolf world? He never would have imagined that going into the woods to look for a body eight years ago would land him here. Sniffing the air he followed his nose around the buildings that clustered the airport and found Deucalion waiting for him in a small dark alley.

"Glad to see you made the right choice Mr. Stilinski", Deucalion smiled widely.

"Well unfortunately the memories you left behind proved you were right. That means werewolves across the states are in danger. If I can do something about it then I guess it's my duty to do it. Plus I could hardly do nothing when I know Isaac, Allison and her father are in danger", Stiles responded quickly.

"Yes I thought that was probably quite a swaying factor towards your decision. Now are you sure you want to do this? You'll remember yesterday I warned you if you start down this path there will be no turning back", Deucalion said darkly. "I know the kind of stress it will put on you, after all I did lead the alpha pack for almost a decade."

"Yeah but it will be different for me because it'll be among friends", Stiles replied with conviction. "Now tell me where I'm going in France please so I can go save my friends."

Deucalion snapped his fingers and another wolf jumped out of the black limo he was standing by. The wolf handed him a transparent plastic wallet before climbing back in the car. "One of my betas", Deucalion explained at my raised eye brows. "Okay everything you need is in that wallet. Plane ticket, maps, money and a phrase guide in case you need to ask the locals anything along the way. Your flight leaves in forty minutes from gate 3. Good luck." Deucalion went to get in the car but turned before he lowered himself into the vehicle. "Oh and the brown envelop inside contains the information you will need to track down Kali after your mission in France", Deucalion gave his wolfish smile and closed the limousine door. The limo backed out and departed the airport parking lot immediately.

* * *

Stiles yawned as he exited the airport when he touched down in France. It was his first time in the Rhone Alps region and he took a moment to breath in the fresh air. Too long had he been stuck in the big city and the air here was crisp and refreshing. He was heading towards the taxi stand hoping to find a ride into town so he could hire something fast but was approached instead by a young woman with scratch marks across the right side of her face. "Stiles Stilinski?" She said his name as a question.

"Yes", he replied slightly wary. How did this woman he had never met know him?

"Deucalion asked me to meet with you. I have a car right over here. Shall we get going?" She asked as she nodded to a midnight blue Porsche. I walked over and slid my hand across the beauty.

"Yeah, we should probably get going", he mumbled as he climbed in the passenger seat.

"Your flight was delayed so we are actually running late", the woman said as she shot down the road away from the airport. Thankfully she was a good driver otherwise her attempts to dodge her way through traffic would have ended in a serious road traffic accident. "I'm Braeden", she said as she pulled us out into the country lanes now. Since there was no traffic here the car sped up yet again and we were racing towards the mountain retreat cabin complex where the hunter seminar was to occur.

"It's nice to meet you Braeden", Stiles said quietly. "I think I should admit to you this is kinda a terrifying experience for me. First time I'll have to face hunters since I was turned" he admitted just as quietly.

"It's alright to be afraid. If you weren't I'd be worried about you. We are heading to try and save fifteen or so hunters only two of which will refrain from filling you with wolfsbane laced bullets. On top of that a pack of twenty three wolves with an alpha that has a reputation for dismembering his victims and watching joyfully as they die from the bloodless that the loss of their arms produces", the hired gun replied in a steady voice and a smile.

"Why are you smiling if were heading into such a dangerous situation?" Stiles cried worried he was with someone as crazy as Peter.

"Well its kind exciting at the same time isn't it? I mean don't tell me you don't feel that rush of energy", the woman muttered excitedly.

"Great so you're an adrenaline junkie", Stiles whispered darkly. She laughed at that as they approached their destination. "Look no one here actually knows I'm a werewolf here so keep it quiet. Unless I am forced to shift I would prefer to handle this with my magic alone."

"Sure thing. And I'll do my best to make sure Isaac gets to fight the alpha", she answered. Obviously Deucalion had informed her of the objective here.

"Braeden", he shouted. "You may want to speed up." She gave me a quizzical look but complied. Stiles grit his teeth as he heard more growling and gunshots. They were too late, damn it. He had hoped we would be able to talk before everything went down. As soon as the car pulled up he was out and running towards the building all the fighting was occurring in. As he opened the door the stench of blood, death and wolfsbane hit him hard and he almost backed out but he needed to help his friends; to help Isaac, Allison and her father so he forced himself in further.

The sight that met his eyes was worse than he had imagined yet also it seemed things were looking better for him. Out of the fifteen hunters all that was left were five if you included Allison and her father. While on the werewolves side only seven had been downed, leaving sixteen to move against the hunters. Isaac was safe but it looked like he was injured. Stiles lifted the wolf that was tearing into Isaac and threw him across the room at his pack before he electrocuted the four prowling towards the hunters. The moment the voltage passed through their system he threw them back at their pack too. All eyes in the place turned towards him standing a few steps inside the doorway.

"Stiles?" he heard Allison and Isaac exhale sharply. Suddenly one of the betas of the pack leapt towards him but before she got too close a shotgun went off and she fell to the floor with bullets peppered through her skull. Blood and brain matter began leaking on to the floor to join the rest.

"Who are you?" growled the alpha from across the room.

"Who me?" Stiles asked as he made his way across the room confidently. "I'm their friend, your enemy. In fact I'm your worst nightmare. You have no idea what I can do. You've seen nothing but some party tricks yet. But you know I'm a nice guy so I'm gonna give you a choice. Either you can leave which means you survive today but have hunters tailing you and wiping you out one by one. I'd wager with back up the hunters wipe the rest of this pack out in a week tops. Or your second option, one on one combat as per standard werewolf traditions. What do you say?"

The alpha looked like he wanted to sink his fangs into the boy but Stiles just smirked at him until he finally barked, "Fine. Choose your wolf."

"Isaac", Stiles said confidently pointing to his friend.

"You send in a beta to do an alpha's job?" the alpha sneered. "Very well, I'll be his opponent –". The werewolf stopped talking suddenly as small lights began to swirl around Isaac. They lasted only a few seconds and when they left he stood up completely healed. "What did you do?" he snapped at Stiles.

"I healed him. Now you both start on equal footing. Everyone please stand back and don't interfere. If you do the challenge will be invalidated and they will not hesitate to tear the rest of us to bits", Stiles said loudly so the hunters could hear. Isaac walked other to him and they embraced each other in a tight hug.

"Stiles what's happening? What did you do?" he whispered urgently.

"It's single combat to the death. One on one. It was the only way I could ensure they didn't kill anyone else. Allison and her father look pretty beat up", Stiles whispered back.

"Okay but I can't beat an alpha", Isaac mumbled fearfully.

"Isaac you can do anything you put your mind to. Besides I know you Isaac you have the biggest heart I know. To save Allison I know you would do anything. Trust in your own strength", Stiles told him quietly in a confident and compelling tone. He hugged Isaac tighter briefly before he released him and moved to stand with Allison and her father.

The fighting started the moment Stiles turned and nodded to them. "Stiles", Allison cried in a mix of emotions. Happy, angry, confused and pained were just a few. "Why did you do that? Isaac can't beat an alpha singlehandedly."

"SShh", he hissed at her as he cast the same spell on them that he used on Isaac. He saw the French pack of wolves hissing as they saw him heal up the fighters on his side. "Have faith in your boyfriend Allison", he scolded her.

"I do", she replied firmly. "I do. I'm just afraid for him. Wait how did you know we're together?" she asked while they both watched the fight between Isaac and the alpha.

"Unimportant", he answered. Isaac had definitely got better in the five years Stiles hadn't seenn him but the alpha still had the upper hand. He was stronger and faster. But Stiles stood by what he said before; Isaac would win this because he had heart. He would fight to his dying breath to protect anyone he loved. The fact that it was Allison his girlfriend meant he would fight that much harder and never give up. "Come on Isaac", Stiles called. "You can do this. Remember Gerald, remember the kanima and remember the alpha pack we managed to take all of them down. You survived them all. You can do this. Back then I was the weak human of the pack and I survived. I've only grown stronger since then and so have you. Now is the time to show this other pack what true strength is."

Allison hugged his side and Chris Argent clapped and hand on his shoulder. They continued watching the fight which was unfairly sided given the fact that the wounds the alpha inflicted didn't heal instantly while any wounds Isaac inflicted vanished after just a few seconds. Stiles gasped as he saw Isaac turn the tables on the alpha in one move. Isaac sank to his knees when the alpha launched at him and sprang up the moment the wolf was above him. He sank his claws deep in the alpha and raked them down his chest. The alpha landed on the floor at his feet. "Finish it now", Stiles called knowing Isaac needed the push. He watched as Isaac committed the threat Derek had long ago used against Stiles to force his submission. Isaac tore the alpha's throat out using his teeth. Isaac looked up at the French pack and allowed them to see his red eyes before he roared at them and they scattered.

"Well done Isaac!" Stiles cried running forward to pat the guy on the back. He whispered some words and Isaac was once again engulfed in the bright swirling lights. Allison leapt at her boyfriend and hugged him even while Stiles' magic went to work on the boy's wounds.

Isaac pulled Allison to one side and looked up at Stiles. "I, rather we, have a lot we want to ask you but first tell me why. Why did I have to kill the alpha? Because now I'm an alpha and Beacon Hills already has two alphas."

Stiles smiled hesitantly at the boy because he was right he did deserve to know. "I'm not sure here is the right place for me to explain everything. But the one on one combat rules apply only to werewolves so I didn't exactly have a lot of options. Come back with Braeden and I to the hotel we are staying at in town and I'll explain everything", Stiles offered lightly, nodding to his associate by the door.

"That's a great idea", Chris Argent said happily. "Allison and I will join you", he added inviting himself and Allison along, not realising Stiles had meant for them to come as well.

* * *

Once they were back at the hotel room that Deucalion had rented for them Stiles launched into the long and detailed explanation of why he had done what he did.

"So Deucalion turns up and you agree to follow his plan to turn Isaac into an alpha. But why?" Mr Argent asked knowing there was more to this.

"He wanted me to let Isaac become an alpha in the hopes that along with Derek and Scott they might begin to form a new alpha pack", Stiles answered.

"So why did he go to you? I mean you left and didn't come back. Why would he think you could get us to create a new alpha pack?" Isaac asked.

"He came to me because of my magic", Stiles carefully told half truths thile he avoided telling them the whole truth. "He knew he could convince me easier than anyone else because I could use my magic to verify things. These crystals contain memories to prove his claims", Stiles said pulling a tightly sealed airtight bag with the onyx crystals from his pockets.

"Okay but how does he expect you to convince Derek and Scott this is a good idea? And what does he expect us to do with the non alpha members like Allison, Kira, Lydia and you", Isaac muttered.

"I'm touched you still count me as pack, Issac", Stiles breathed. "He doesn't count any pack members that aren't werewolves. He was hoping we might make Cora the fifth alpha we need; while he also expressed concern on allowing Peter to remain in the pack let alone gain alpha status again."

"Stiles you've always been pack and you always will be", Isaac murmured as he struggled to stop himself from whining. "Do you know what is up with me?" he asked Stiles when he failed to contain the whine. Stiles didn't miss they had failed to realise he said fifth.

Stiles laughed before he answered, "Nothing is wrong with you Isaac. You're an alpha now. Your wolf side is stronger and you just need to learn how to control it. Until then I would advise a little distance from Allison so you don't end up hurting her."

"He'd never", Allison said loudly.

"Allie", Isaac whispered. "I think he is right this is different. Until I feel I have a better control I don't want to put you at risk." He kissed her forehead. "So Stiles are there any other developments we should know about? Are you coming back to Beacon Hills with us?"

"I'm not going back to Beacon Hills just yet. I've got a little score to settle and I've got to pick up a little present for Cora", Stiles smiled coyly.

"What score?" Chris asked curiously.

"I didn't tell you but I found out while I was away from Beacon Hills that my dad's death wasn't an accident. Kali was behind it", Stiles answered while he stared the man down.

"So you plan to kill her in vengeance?" Chris asked.

"No I only plan to capture her. I want to offer Cora the pleasure of the kill. So long as she dies I don't mind who does it. You know why she went after my dad? She couldn't get to me. And she only went after me to get to Derek", Stiles spat in disgust.

"So you know how Derek felt about you then?" Allison whispered.

"Feels", Stiles corrected her. "I'm surprised the pack knows but yeah I know I'm his mate. It's not something a wolf can move on from. It's something permanent; we're in it for life."

"Yeah we know about you two being mates", Isaac mumbled. "He was sort of broken when you left for a while. He is doing better now but we can still see it affecting him. How long have you known?"

"Two years", Stiles swallowed.

"And you still didn't come back to us? How did you find out anyway?" Isaac asked as his eyes flashed red in frustration.

"I didn't come back because I wasn't ready Isaac", Stiles snarled. "My life hasn't exactly been a walk in the park since I left but I did what I needed to do. As to how I know, I'm sure this will answer your question", Stiles continued as he let the red take over his eyes. He watched as Chris and Allison jumped while Isaac sat growling at him.

"Oh, Stiles how long? How long have you been an alpha?" Chris asked impatiently yet with a hint of consoling concern. He knew this situation was getting very dangerous. Alpha werewolves needed a pack otherwise the instinct would drive them insane.

"Two years", Stiles answered slightly calmer yet keeping his eyes on Isaac who seemed unable to control his growling yet. "The werewolf that attacked me was just starting to build his pack. He wanted me because he knew I was intelligent. He bit me when my back was turned and I killed him before I could control my rage. I've changed a lot. I'm not the same Stiles you all knew."

"But that's impossible. How have you survived two years with no pack or territory? An alpha needs them, without them it would drive them crazy", Chris muttered suspiciously.

"I have a pack", Stiles announced to his old friends who were shocked. "Didn't you hear Isaac a minute ago?"

Isaac was so shocked he actually managed to stop growling. "You still think of all of us as pack", he realised. Stiles nodded to him.


	7. Capturing Kali

"Of course I still think of you as pack", Stiles rebuffed Isaac. "I have little care for territory. My wolf is only interested in the place it calls home. It's taken two years but I was already planning to head back to Beacon Hills. My wolf had already destroyed my resolve to stay away any longer when Deucalion came to see me."

Chris swallowed as he let the situation finally descend on him, "You want Beacon Hills to house a new alpha pack comprised completely from self deprived adolescents who were turned in their teenage years? You think this is a wise idea? Have you even considered the kind of strain this would put on the local police force?"

Stiles couldn't help the growl that slipped between his lips. "Yes I plan to comprise the pack from the self deprived adolescents that strove to protect Beacon hills from the dangers that plagued it even though they hadn't finished high school. A group that includes your daughter", Stiles reminded him. "And yes I don't just think it is a wise decision I know it is the right decision. As a cop kid and a guy who has seen other werewolf packs I can state quite confidently that we can keep it from affecting the local police force. A good step to achieving that will be to get an alpha or at least an alpha's mate in the force as soon as possible." Stiles cocked his head at the silent form of the hunter. "Does that answer your concerns Mr. Argent?"

Chris nodded and kept Stiles' glance until the boy looked away. Stiles really had thought the decision through more carefully and meticulously than the hunter had presumed. "Okay so what is the next step in your plan?"

Stiles smiled a devilish grin as his eyes bled red, "Next we need to capture ourselves Cora's present, Kali. I can do it alone if you would prefer to be kept out of my vengeance gig. All I ask is that you don't return to Beacon Hills just yet. We should return as one so I have a chance to explain all this to Scott and Derek myself."

"I want to go with you", Isaac muttered before Stiles finished speaking. "If Isaac is going then I'm going", Allison exclaimed.

"Allison why I don't advise it I know you well enough to know you will ignore my advice about being around a potentially dangerous alpha who needs to learn better control; therefore if you insist on accompanying Isaac and I on this, then I won't stop you provided your father comes too", Stiles sighs.

"Agreed", Chris nods quickly. "Well I guess we're all off to Seattle", Stiles smiled before he turned over to look over his shoulder to look at Braedan. "Thank you for all your help. Tell Deucalion I will honour our deal." The hired agent nodded as she departed.

* * *

"Okay I think we should spread out through the city and keep our eyes peeled for her. She's here somewhere or at least she was last night. Allison and Mr. Argent track her however you are used to. Isaac you track her as a werewolf would and I'll track her magically. I'm willing to bet she has attempted to cover her tracks though so she probably has a few tricks up her sleeves. Be careful", I warn the others as I explain the plan.

"Remember force her north of the city into the trap we set this morning", Chris reminds them all.

"What do we do if one of us finds her?" Allison asked. "How do we contact one another?"

"Can't we just ring each other's mobiles like we normally do?" Isaac asks foolishly.

"Well we could but it can be pretty inconvenient to have to ring each other. Splitting in two teams with a wolf on each side might have worked but with Isaac being slightly unstable I don't think it is a good idea. But don't worry I thought about it and came up with a solution", Stiles grins at them. "If you find her shout it in your own head. I'll keep a weak telepathic field open. When you focus your thoughts to confirm you've found her I will hear it and relay the information."

"That sounds sort of invasive", Allison mumbles unsure. "Nah it's nothing like that", Stiles reassures them. "It will only pick up thoughts you direct to me. For example Allison, focus on telling me without speaking any number you like. Seven, thirteen, fifty seven, eighty four, three hundred and sixty."

Allison looked impressed that he was getting everything one right. "I can only hear what you want me to hear", Stiles repeated. They all nodded and he turned to walk away from them. Stiles wandered down the path focusing his magic on the image of Kali. He was trying to sense her but according to his magical senses she was everywhere. She was obviously aware he was after her and had taken precautions to prevent him from finding her. Whoever had been helping her was obviously capable of high calibre magic because the simple spells Stiles tried to remove her protection spell failed. He didn't have time to work on more complex magic right now. He had spent the last half an hour or so trying anything he could think of to remove the magical sense dispersion spell. Suddenly he looked towards the woods at the north of town as Isaac's voice rang in his head. _**Found her. She's heading straight towards the trap.**_Stiles reached out and felt for Isaac's location before he passed the information to both the Argents while he flat out sprinted in pursuit of Isaac and his prey.

After a couple of minutes running flat out he began to catch up with Isaac. Stiles had always been fast but since he became a werewolf he had trained himself rigorously to increase his speed even more._** Chris cover the north of the trap, Allison get the west, I'll get the east and Isaac can force her in from the south.**_ I co-ordinated us so she would be cornered with no place to run. Just as Stiles got to his position he saw Allison and Chris reach theirs and he heard Isaac's howl. It sounded as if he was in pain and Stiles guessed that Kali had attacked him to slow him down because he could still hear their footfalls heading this way.

Stiles grinned viciously at the female alpha when she tore into the clearing and saw Chris Argent. Immediately she turned to her left but stepped back seeing Allison. Turning around he watched the dread fill her face when she saw him. She turned and headed back towards Isaac no doubt to try and get past him out of the ambush she had fallen into. Before she could move though trip wires snapped around her form binding her tight. Pushing against the bonds Stiles watched in amusement as she tried to escape. Really did she think a veteran hunter like Chris Argent wouldn't realise that would be her first move? He had soaked them in wolfsbane so the moment they touched her she was done for. They began sapping her strength and she couldn't break them.

"Kali, I'd offer to shake your hand and crush your bones but you seem a little tied up", Stiles smiled at his terrible pun while he heard both Argent's groan while Isaac snickered. "You knew I'd come for you eventually. I'm guessing the precautions you put in place weren't as strong as they could have been though I must say they were quite impressive. We came before you expected me, didn't we? You also expected me along and not with friends. That mistake is what will cost you" Stiles paused as he looked at the alpha growling and thrashing against the wires binding her.

"Count yourself lucky I'm not killing you", Stiles muttered. Stiles didn't miss the glimmer of hope that flashed in her eyes. "Oh don't get too happy there. I might not be killing you know but you will be dead within the week. The question is who will be the one to kill you. You see things aren't as simple as you think they are. Did you realise Isaac here became an alpha four days ago?" Stiles threw back his head and laughed when he saw the surprise in the alpha's face.

"Stiles", whispered Chris Argent. Stiles turned to look at him. "Yes?" Stiles asked unsure what the hunter wanted.

"How about you do the binding spell you said you wanted to use before you tell her everything?" Chris replied. Stiles nodded he had forgotten to do it due to the euphoria he felt at having caught his prey so quickly. "Yeah I guess you're right I should do that now. Bring the van around. Isaac will watch over me", Stiles nodded again to the hunter who complied quickly. Allison went with her dad. Stiles began drawing power from his core and spoke words in a harsh language that Isaac couldn't understand. Isaac tensed though because he could feel the power in the air like statically charged particles. Suddenly the wires around Kali caught alight and she screamed as her body shook. After that one awful scream of pain she collapsed on the ground while Stiles leant against the tree.

"It's okay. I have her", Stiles told his old friend. "If she even tries to run she will feel a current of twenty thousand volts surge through her system. She can think about it but the moment she tries to act we will know about it." Isaac nodded to Stiles but shifted uneasily on his feet. This new Stiles was different. Isaac could sense the old Stiles but something had hardened and darkened the boy. It wasn't bad per say but like Stiles said it would take some time to get used to the new him. The old Stiles used to have more compassion and disliked seeing others suffer.

They heard a van approaching and turned to see the Argent's green van rumbling towards their clearing along the uneven track. "I guess it's time we returned home", Isaac muttered quietly as he embraced Stiles from the side.

"Yeah I guess it is", Stiles repeated absently. Maybe things would go better than he thought they would. I mean all his friends missed him right? Allison and Isaac had told him as much. Derek would be delighted because he would have his mate back and Scott would be pleased to have his brother return home. I mean Stiles felt that way as well along with being nervous. They would feel the same minus the nerves because they weren't expecting him, right?

* * *

We had discussed the ways we might travel back to Beacon Hills with our captive and decided that driving would be the best course of action. The drive its self wouldn't be too long but there were a few things we had to prepare before we went home. Stiles insisted that he wanted to prepare a couple of charms to cloak the alpha within each werewolf.

"Why do you want to cloak yourselves?" Chris asked sceptically. "Because technically our wolves have no claim to the territory and the moment we set foot on land belonging to Derek and Scott they will sense us as alphas. The instinct to defend your territory is strong. If they don't realise it is us then they may attack first and ask questions later. To avoid unnecessary fighting and bloodshed the charms are required. How would you feel if anyone of us alphas killed another? How do you think the others would feel about it? If we don't approach this properly it would be a total massacre with the last alpha standing looking at the bodies of at least three dead pack members, probably more."

Chris understood Stiles point after the boy explained it and agreed it was probably a good step to take. After that he offered to help any way he could. With Chris's help Stiles was able to acquire and fashion the charms quicker than expected. The drive to the town over from Beacon Hills took about a day. Staying in a hotel Stiles prepared everything he thought he would need for his long awaited return. Refusing to let anything go wrong due to lack of preparation he spent much longer than he usually would to cast the spells that would activate the charms. He poured more magic into them, attempting to strength their power higher than he usually would allow. In fact he was so anxious that he over exerted himself and weakened himself to the point that his binding spell which required constant magic to maintain itself almost failed. After he drained himself he argued he needed a day of rest to recharge again.

He was being careful to a point of insanity but he had a bad feeling that he couldn't quite understand. He wanted to be ready for anything so a day to recharge his magical power was not too much to ask for. After all the success of this plan was down to him and though he had explained it he was sure that none of his three travelling companions comprehended the situation as well as he had for none of them had been interested in viewing the memories Deucalion left with him. If he succeeded in forming the new alpha pack he would make sure every member affiliated with the pack was forced to watch and understand them. They had a responsibility to help every werewolf. It was a huge responsibility but it was one he had chosen to take and to Stiles that made all the difference because for once he had been given a choice. It hadn't just been thrust upon him like so many others. He just hoped the others were willing to help.


	8. Lying in wait

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I'll try not to let things get in the way again. I hope to be updating regularly again now. Here's just a mini chapter as a thank you to my readers who are so patient with me.**

* * *

Stiles sat in the back of the Argent's green van with Kali and Isaac, Chris was in the driver's seat with Allison as his front passenger. The young half elf was silent as they enter Beacon Hills.

"Did you feel that?" Isaac asked as they entered the pack's territory.

"Yeah", Stiles swallowed. "We just cross the territory boundaries. If we weren't wearing these charms they'd already know we were here."

"So where exactly do you want me to drive to?" Chris called from the front.

"Well I guess if Derek stills lives in the loft we should head there", Stiles answered uncertainly.

"Yeah he still lives there", Isaac nodded.

"Okay time to work a little magic then", Stiles smiled mischievously. He spoke a few words in that same language Isaac heard him use to bind Kali. As he finishes speaking they heard an anonymous wolf howl far away followed by several more familiar howls.

"What did you just do?" Allison asked curiously.

"Ah, I just sent the pack on a little wild goose chase. I think it would be better if the returned to the loft once we're already there. We've got about twenty minutes before the spell wears off. If it works correctly it should lead them straight to the loft once we arrive there", Stiles muttered.

"We're only ten minutes away now", Chris informed them.

"Good timing then", Stiles remarked. "Looks like our time together is almost up Kali. Having you bound by such a torturous enchantment actually has its benefits you know. It's made me more compassionate seeing you in agony. So I'll give you my word that when the time comes your death will be swift", Stiles whispered into the female alpha's ear.

"Now that's more like the Stiles I knew", Isaac murmured fondly.

"Yeah, I'm guessing I wasn't as over my dad's death as I thought and I'm still sort of pissed at the situation I've been put in but this time I had a choice. It makes a difference. I feel more centred, ya know", Stiles admitted to no one in particular.

The rest of the drive passed in silence until Chris parked and turned to say, "We've arrived." Stiles opened the back door and waited while Isaac got out. "Out you get", he ordered Kali, but she refused to move. Stiles wasn't in the mood for her as his nerves were already buzzing so he just used his magic to drag her along while she yelped intermittently as the binding shocked her for trying to escape. They rode up the lift in uncomfortable silence and stepped out to face Derek's loft. Stiles shifted nervously because he hadn't been here for over five years. His wolf was whining constantly as it smelt the scent of his mate. Forcing it to the back of his mind he followed the others in.

"I guess now we wait", Chris muttered as he walked over to the window and began to pace. Allison and Isaac went over to sit on the sofa while Stiles wandered over to Derek's armchair. He walked around it with a sort of reverence. He moved Kali over so she was hovering beside the chair. Sparks of electricity continued to travel across her skin as she attempted to make her escape. Until now she had been smart enough to not bother attempting to escape but fear of her impending demise had over ruled her logic. Stiles didn't bother to pay any attention to her as she no longer screamed out just whimpered.

The moments slowly ticked by until both werewolves stiffened as they heard the approach of the pack at Derek's loft door.

* * *

**Next chapter the pack meets the new Stiles and Kali dies. Will Cora be the one to kill her?  
**


	9. Friendly confrontation

**A/N: So this is a much longer meatier chapter and I dedicate to Sonisback for resparking my enthusiasm for this story. I work on a lot of different projects her on Fanfiction, other sites and real life that I sometimes need someone to remind me of projects I leave at the way side. This is also the reason updates will be slower than they used to be as I'm continuing the charmed stories I started here along with some others. Will update whenever possible though.**

**If you find yourself eagerly awaiting another chapter just message me again to give me a proverbial kick in the back side. **

**Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

The door opened slowly and Stiles smiled warmly at the looks of surprise on his packs' faces. He could see the new girl Kira half hidden behind a protective Scott. Lydia was peeking round from behind Derek growling in a half transformed state. The pack looked smaller than Stiles expected but no less fierce and protective than he remembered. Stiles even spotted Danny amongst them which at first confused him but seconds later seemed like a god send to him when he realised there was no Cora. Where was she? She was supposed to be the one who would kill Kali and take her place in the new alpha pack.

"Stiles?!" multiple voices cried in surprise closely followed by the chorus of footsteps as they moved towards him.

"Stop", Stiles said while conjuring a barrier to keep some distance between them. "Where is Cora?" he asked in frustration.

"Stiles, what's wrong man?" Scott called from the edge of the barrier in confusion. "What's with the barrier?"

"Answer the question", Stiles said again looking towards Derek.

"She left. She went back to her other pack. She was happy there and she wanted to go back, who was I to stop her", Derek told the half elf in a tone somewhere half way between a growl and a whine.

"Humph", Stiles huffed. "I guess all plans can't go to plan then, huh Isaac? Lucky it did when I found you in France, huh?" Isaac didn't bother answering but playfully punched the mage's shoulder from his position slightly behind and to the right of him. Both of them could feel the tension in the air, it was biting at their restraint. Suddenly Kali let out a whimper as she was shocked.

"What's she doing here?" Derek snarled nodding to Kali.

"Oh her. Well you see I brought young Cora a present. Of course I didn't realise she wasn't here. That seems to be a new development. I had planned to allow Cora the pleasure of killing her. After all Cora always wanted revenge after that time she stabbed a pipe through you Der", Stiles explained with a forced calm.

"But then she would have become an alpha", Scott frowned in confusion.

"Yes Scott. She would have but she would have got her revenge", Stiles mused. "I guess I'll have to let someone else do the honours or kill her myself. It would only be fair after all since she murdered my father", Stiles spat.

"Your father? But that was an accident. Wasn't it?" Lydia muttered quietly. She could sense the tension but didn't understand why Isaac, Scott and Derek all seemed to be growling constantly low in their throats.

"It was only made to look like an accident", Stiles said coldly.

"So is that the only thing that brought you back? And why are the Argent's with you? Didn't they go to France for a hunter conference?" Derek asked warily. Something felt off. This Stiles was darker than the Stiles he had known. Darker than the Stiles he had loved.

"Well no actually. I was just about ready to return home when I had a visit from Deucalion. His visit was rather informative on several topics. For instance he told me of the impending attack on a hunter conference allowing me to intervene and save a small number of them", Stiles hummed speculatively. "And he was the one to provide me with the true circumstances of my father's death along with Kali's location. We talked about other things too which we need to discuss ourselves."

"Okay well now is not really the best time for a catch up. We've got to find the rogue alpha we sensed earlier", Scott growled as dense as ever.

"Scott, don't you think maybe it was Kali you sensed?" Kira whispered quietly to her mate. Scott blushed at the question embarrassed he hadn't thought of that possibility.

"It wasn't Kali. We know her scent and it wasn't her", Derek said uncertainly. He couldn't shake the instinct that he needed to defend something. There was a threat somewhere nearby but he couldn't figure out what or where. "Do we still need this stupid barrier here?"

"Yes. When it is safe I'll remove it but I'd rather you don't fly off the handle and rip someone apart. I said we've got things to discuss, well some of them you won't like. So Danny, Isaac and Allison forgot to tell me you joined the pack. How long have you been a werewolf?" Stiles asked conversationally ignoring the growling alphas in front of him and the one slightly behind him. He was splitting his focus enough ways already what with containing his wolf, containing the binding on kali, maintaining the barrier and conversing with his friends.

"Uh, um. Well I'm not actually a wolf. I'm just a human member", Danny admitted sheepishly.

"That's cool so you wanted to stay human", Stiles replied with a knowing smile. Danny looked Stiles in the eye briefly before looking away ashamed he couldn't answer. Stiles heard the longing in his voice, the hurt at not having been offered the bite. "Well I mean obviously Derek or Scott offered you the bite. After all the bite is a gift."

Silence settled across the pack and Stiles smile became impossibly wider on his face. "Oh, I guess I assume too much. But tell me Danny", Stiles paused until the Hawaiian looked up at him. "Would you like the bite?"

"NO!" growled Derek and Scott in unison.

"NO?! No? You think Danny is not entitled to the bite? Have you even told him why Ethan left?" Stiles asked calming himself as he raised his eyebrows.

"What do ya mean?" Danny asked. "How do you know he left? Do you know why he left?"

Stiles smiled warmly at the man, "He's an alpha; used to be part of the alpha pack. I'm sure you've been filled in on them. Him and his brother Aiden actually. I know he left because I've spoken with them over the past couple of years and yes I know why he left. He told you he was worried about you getting hurt because of his past. Well the twins unfortunately have made many enemies in their time. He didn't want to drag you into it."

"But – But he could have told me. He could have offered me the bite", Danny mumbled in disbelief.

"He considered it but there is a risk that comes with the bite", Stiles said softly.

"Yeah, I know about it. The bite doesn't always take, sometimes it kills you", Danny continued to mumble. "But he should have taken that risk. I would have. I still would."

"Yes, unfortunately he knew someone who attempted the same thing with his loved one and had to pay the price", Stiles breathed as he looked apologetically at Derek. "Ethan grew too afraid to try and decided leaving would be better for your safety. However if you still want it I'm sure we can get you a bite."

"Stiles, you can't do that. We won't let you. You can't do it without me or Derek", Scott fumed at his best friend. Isaac snorted quietly turning to hide his amused expression. Stiles heard Chris mutter almost silently something about 'getting on with things'. Allison alone remained completely composed.

"We promised Ethan we wouldn't offer him the bite unless it was the only way to save him", Derek growled.

"Ah, Scott I hate to point this out for you again but they have Kali. She's still an alpha and her bite could turn Danny", Lydia said through pursed lips.

"I guess now is as good as anytime", Stiles mused. "Isaac if you would." Isaac understood without anything more being said and flashed his crimson eyes at the pack.

"Isaac?! But how?" Scott whined while he wrestled his wolf. Now he knew there was another alpha nearby it seemed intent on attacking. He saw Derek struggling to contain his own wolf as well. If they hadn't both been alphas together for three years he wasn't sure they would have kept it under control. He had no idea how Isaac was managing it.

"We got attacked at the hunter conference. Stiles told you that, remember. Well he arrived in the nick of time and challenged the alpha to single combat. Wolf against wolf", Isaac explained. "I won, so its red eyes for me", he muttered before biting down on his lip in worry.

"Deucalion came to me wanting more than simply to help me. When have you ever known him to offer help without getting something in return? He believes Beacon Hills should be home to the new alpha pack. With three alpha's currently residing here I'd say it's well on its way", Stiles smiled widely again. "But three is not enough. I've seen the werewolf community out there. It's been in chaos since we defeated the alpha pack. If another one isn't formed things will only get worse. I've got the proof of it right here", Stiles hummed patting his hoodie pocket. "And let me tell you it's bad, really bad", Stiles added as his face darkened.

"So what you want us to be the new alpha pack?" Derek snapped. "Until you changed Isaac and Cora left we still had betas. We still have humans, hunters and a kitsune. How exactly do you expect us to become an alpha pack even if we did agree to it?"

"Derek you know as well as I do the Alpha pack had more than just alphas. They had a druid and ordinary humans. The werewolf community only needs to see a large group of alphas working together to stabilise. Besides I believe the non alpha members add to the pack's power. They'll help keep the alphas amongst us human, while presenting their own power in the werewolf world", Stiles replied. "You know I've thought about this right. Like I've seriously though hard about this. I'm not following Deucalion on a whim. Or do you really think so little of me?"

Derek didn't answer him. Instead he just looked at the floor at his feet. "Deucalion recommended an alpha pack have no less than five alphas to be taken seriously. Other attempts have been made to form a new alpha pack but they've ended in death and disaster. Everyone here is pack whether that be in the form of a friend or family member or even both. The bonds in this pack are strong and therefore I think we could succeed."

"We?" Scott asked lip trembling. "Does that mean you're back to stay?"

"Yes. We, Scott", Stiles nodded. "I'm back to stay if you'll have me but I feel it is my duty to help the other werewolves so I will be putting my efforts into creating an alpha pack. If you're not on board I guess I'll have to try forming it somewhere else, with people I don't trust as much. I agree we need at least five alphas for the werewolf community to take us seriously. None of the other attempts worked past three. Deucalion suggested Cora be allowed her revenge so she could rise to be an alpha."

"Wait, if this is all Deucalion's idea and he's helping us what does he want it return?" Lydia asked inquisitively. She was as sharp as ever.

"Like the twins he's made enemies. He hopes we might use our influence to prevent their retribution", Stiles told them all slowly.

"Okay, so we've got three. We only need two more. If we're really considering doing this", Derek mused as the tension in the room began to bleed out.

"Yeah. Without Cora I thought someone else close to all of us would work. That's why I was offering Danny the bite. I hoped he might take Cora's place", Stiles admitted. "And before you start up that argument again I think I should point out that actually we have all the pieces right here to make sure the bite takes."

"What do you mean? There's a way to ensure it takes?" Kira asked curiously.

Stiles nodded, "Yeah I studied a lot over the past five years. The majority of that time was spent with magic as the main focus of my life. I've studied not just magic mages use but the magical workings of the supernatural. The bite is an example of werewolf magic, just like the healing or the transformations. But the point is there are ways to ensure it takes. If Danny were to be bitten he could ensure the bite took by reinforcing the magic to the point it overwhelmed his body; killing an alpha for example." Stiles paused as he let the idea sink in.

"But his body wouldn't change quickly enough for him to be a threat to an alpha", Derek pointed out.

"True but does Kali look in a position to defend herself? Also who said he had to kill them using his claws. If he took a dagger straight to her heart it would kill her and I think we all know he'd have the strength to do something like that, even though the pain of the bite", Stiles continued. "It's just an offer. It's down to him."

All eyes in the room turned to focus on the young man. "Stiles, how sure are you that this would actually work? I mean that it wouldn't kill me", Danny asked the mage softly.

"One hundred percent", Stiles said solemnly. "Did you know elves went to war with werewolves centuries ago? The werewolves almost entirely wiped them out. They didn't need any special weapons, even when the elves had such potent magics though because an alphas bite turned out to be poisonous to them. However one branch of the elves survived which culminated in my birth. So Danny, yeah I know my theory is accurate because I was forced to test it when I was bitten", Stiles swallowed as he let the red bleed into his eyes.

Shocked gasps and jumps meet Stiles' revelation. "Oh, Stiles", Scott muttered sadly. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, that bastard bit me. I couldn't use magic to heal it and I realised as a half elf it was poisonous to me too. I had two choices. One, allow myself to die or two put my faith in a theory that quite frankly was solidly based. There was no evidence that suggested it wouldn't work, so I choose life", Stiles mumbled. "It's not so bad. It definitely has its benefits."

"But wait if your an alpha we only need one more", Lydia exclaimed.

"Yeah and actually we don't need any more if I know Scott and Sourwolf as well I hope", Stiles mumbled bashfully. "You see I sort of invited the twins back to Beacon Hills. Deucalion suggested five alphas but I think more than five would show the werewolf community just how serious we are. Plus those two know him reasonably well. They might be able to give us the heads up on any tricks he might be trying to pull."

"So Danny doesn't need to become an alpha at all, then? Or even a werewolf", Chris asked from behind Stiles.

"Well no, not if Scott and Derek are happy with Ethan and Aiden joining us", Stiles confessed. "But he's wanted to be a werewolf since he joined the pack, I gather. This way he could be what he wanted to be but no it's not necessary anymore since I'm fairly sure Ethan will agree that six alpha werewolves can keep him safe."

"No", Danny shouted. "No, I want this. I've wanted this since before I joined the pack. I'm not a damsel in distress either; I don't need to be protected. If I was a werewolf I could look after myself just as well as you guys can. I know murder is wrong but Kali stole my friend from me for five years, she stole his dad from him and all his friends. She forced Ethan to do horrible things and did terrible things to him. I mean at least if half of what I heard about the alpha pack was true. And she tried her absolute best to destroy this pack, my pack. I don't think killing her counts as murder; it'd be more like retribution. Stiles just tell me what you want me to do", he insisted.

"Actually as a point of interest there Danny, we definitely need to talk about that. Do you know why Kali after me? Do any of you?" Stiles asked tensely.

"No", Derek answered slowly when no one else offered a reply and Stiles lost it.

"She went after me for two reasons", Stiles started to say as slight tremors shook the room. His eyes began glowing red and his teeth lengthened into fangs. "Firstly Deucalion recognised me as having potential, I had his favour over hers. And secondly Ennis. She refused to accept Deucalion killed her mate. She forced herself to believe it was you Derek", Stiles continued as the room began shaking harder than before while fur began sprouting along his arms and down the back of his neck. "She accepted she couldn't go after you since you were an alpha and you were powerful. So she decided she'd go after the person closest to you. Apparently she thought that was me. So she set her sights on me; only to find I was powerful too. After her fight with Jennifer, which almost killed her by the way, she was afraid of me. She sent curses to weaken me and those around me so she could get close to me but that plan failed. So she thought if she couldn't make you feel her pain through my death she might make you feel it through my absence." Stiles roared and the room shook even harder, pictures began falling off the walls and dust from the brickwork started raining down on them all. By now stiles face was slowly beginning to change, his mouth and nose merging to form a wolf's muzzle.

"Calm down Stiles", Isaac whined as he pulled the angry half elf into a comforting embrace. No one spoke for a moment while they watched Stiles slowly calm back down and the changes to his body reversed themselves.

"She decided to break me. To kill my father just so you could feel the pain of losing your mate. She knew I'd leave rather than stay in the town where I lost both parents", Stiles growled out in pain as he sank to his knees pulling Isaac down with him. The tremors stopped instantly.

"Stiles, I'm sorry", Derek whispered in a broken voice. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know. That's why I always kept you at a distance."

"I know, Der. And I wish I wasn't angry at the fact that she used me to get at you but I am. I thought I was over my dad's death but finding all this out, it's just too much", Stiles sighed. "You know what hurts the most though? You knew. You knew we were mates from the first time we meet and you kept it from me. If I hadn't become a werewolf I bet I would never have found out. The fact you could keep such a big secret from the person you are supposed to share everything with is more painful than losing my dad." Suddenly the barrier dissolved its self and Stiles stood back up.

"Danny, if don't want to do this I'll understand. I don't believe things are as black and white as Scott but I know personally the darkness killing puts on the heart. I've got an awful lot of darkness already surrounding my heart. A little more won't matter to me. You're still untainted", Stiles whispered as he looked at his friend.

"Stiles", Danny breathed as he walked over to hug his friend. "We survive by banding together and sharing our burdens and you're right."

Stiles pursed his lips as he interrupted, "I know I am. I'm always right but which bit are you talking about this time?"

Danny laughed before he continued, "There is enough darkness already around your heart. Let me do this, let me share this burden. You've done so much for all of us. Let one of us be there for you. Let me be there for you."

"You have such a way with words Mr Mahealani", Stiles joked as he hugged his friend back tighter. "But if you're sure I'll let you do it and owe you big time", he added with a big brittle smile.

"Let's do this", Danny replied in a voice that shook but just barely. Stiles held out his hand and Allison passed to him a sheathed dagger. Stiles handed the dagger to Danny and lifted his friend's other wrist to his mouth. He paused to search Danny's eyes but seeing nothing but acceptance he let his fangs slide out as he bit down briefly before releasing the man's wrist from his mouth. When Stiles released his wrist he moved to place his hand on the back of his friend's neck. Danny yelled out in pain but quickly recovered. "You're drawing out my pain aren't you?" Danny accused the half elf when he realised what was happening.

"Guilty", confessed the smirking young man beside him.

"Thanks, Stiles", Danny whispered before he turned to face the whimpering woman on his other side. Danny stood before her with the dagger held loosely in his hand. After a moment's hesitation Danny found the incentive he needed and plunged the dagger in the werewolf's heart. Instantly he could tell Stiles had been right because instead of pain, which he still felt Stiles attempting to draw away, now he felt a never ending rush. It was like adrenaline was running through his entire system but the affects didn't seem to diminish. Danny turned slowly to look upon his pack with crimson red eyes and saw that it had worked from their strained expressions. Amongst them he could see joy, anxiety, concern and sadness. Sure getting used to most of their group being alphas would take some time but they would get through this as a pack, as a family. Danny had been with the pack long enough that he knew what to expect when he was changed. His wolf was frantic at sensing so many other alphas nearby but there was also fear and an intelligence that prevented him from going rabid. Thinking of his pack he found it eased the wolf's anxiety. A moment of peace and tranquillity settled over the pack as each alpha adjusted to yet another alpha popping up in their midst.

However the moment of peace and tranquillity that helped ease the wolf in every alpha shattered suddenly as the whole room suddenly jumped when Kali's body vanished. "I've put the body where we discussed", Stiles said as he looked over his shoulder at Chris Argent. He was clearly the only one still at ease.

"Damn it Stiles! You scared the hell out of us", Danny laughed as he slapped his friend on the back. He wasn't sorry for what he'd done. He knew it was an unspeakable act but it also felt right because he was protecting his friends. Kali was gone and now the true healing of the damage she inflicted upon them could finally begin.

"Is it only me who has noticed that all the alphas are male?" Kira interjected quietly after a moment.

Stiles laughed loudly, "I know right. Cora was supposed to also be my attempt at gender equality. I guess we'll just have to make sure the females get to show off their strength as well. I mean we have a very talented hunter, a banshee with a higher IQ than most qualified geniuses and you Kira, a very powerful kitsune. You'd have to be to run with this lot", Stiles smiled. "Now what do you say we catch up over pizza and beer? My treat, as long as Sourwolf doesn't mind hosting."

"Sounds great", Scott cried happily while turning to plead with the other alpha. Only that wasn't really true anymore was it? They were all alphas.

"Fine", Derek grunted. "But no one sits in my chair", he added in a growl.

"Oh by the way, I think I should probably give you a heads up", Stiles muttered, waving his friends over to join him as he busied himself ordering pizza and organising a ride to go buy the alcohol. "The twins should be here tomorrow around midday."

* * *

**A/N: Please review and let me know what you thought. This chapter was lots of fun to write but also one of my more challeging. Let me know if you think I got it right ;-)  
**


End file.
